Certified Naturally Grown

Certified Naturally Grown
Name	Certified Naturally Grown
Formation	2002
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	New Paltz, New York
Region served	United States, Canada
Leader title	Executive Director

Certified Naturally Grown

Certified Naturally Grown is a farmer-focused nonprofit certification program serving small-scale producers of fruits, vegetables, herbs, honey, dairy, and livestock. The program offers an alternative to federal United States Department of Agriculture programs by emphasizing peer-reviewed standards geared to market access for regional farmers, producers, and urban growers. Certified Naturally Grown operates within a network of local organizations, farmers' markets, and food cooperatives across the United States, with outreach extending to Canada and occasional collaboration with international networks.

Overview

Certified Naturally Grown provides a grassroots pathway for producers to demonstrate adherence to practices avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers while promoting soil health and stewardship on small farms. The program complements institutions such as the United States Department of Agriculture, Rodale Institute, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, and local Slow Food chapters by offering certificates and labels recognized by consumers at venues like Union Square Greenmarket, Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and regional farmers' markets. It positions itself alongside movements associated with figures and entities such as Rachel Carson, Wendell Berry, Joel Salatin, Michael Pollan, and organizations like National Farmers Union, Pew Charitable Trusts, and Environmental Defense Fund that have influenced contemporary sustainable agriculture discourse.

History

Founded in 2002 by a coalition of small-scale farmers and activists, the organization emerged in response to perceived barriers posed by federal programs managed by the United States Department of Agriculture and regulatory frameworks shaped by statutes such as the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Early supporters included members of the Slow Food USA movement, alumni of research institutions like Ithaca College and Cornell University, and networks connected to regional hubs such as Hudson Valley Farm Hub and Rodale Institute contacts. Over time, Certified Naturally Grown formed partnerships with market organizers associated with Greenmarket, municipal programs in cities like New York City and San Francisco, and producer groups linked to states including Vermont, California, and New York. Leadership transitions have involved collaborations with nonprofit funders and advocacy organizations including Ford Foundation-aligned initiatives and local agricultural extension services.

Certification Standards and Practices

Standards emphasize avoidance of synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms, aligning in practice with principles promoted by figures such as Sir Albert Howard and institutions like the Organic Farming Research Foundation. The standards detail acceptable practices for crop rotation, composting, integrated pest management, and animal welfare, referencing methodologies taught at institutions including Ithaca College extension programs, Cornell University Cooperative Extension workshops, and training offered by Rodale Institute. While distinct from regulatory specifications promulgated under the National Organic Program, the standards cite comparable criteria used by certification bodies such as California Certified Organic Farmers and international entities like Soil Association and Ecocert for benchmarking. Standards also address honey handling practices relevant to stakeholders in networks connected to researchers at University of Minnesota apiculture programs and agricultural colleges such as Texas A&M University.

Inspection and Compliance

Inspection procedures rely on annual on-farm inspections, peer reviews, and producer-attested paperwork, a model influenced by community-based verification used in initiatives associated with Community Supported Agriculture pioneers and municipal procurement programs in cities like Boston and Philadelphia. Inspectors often come from networks that include extension agents affiliated with Cornell University, practitioners from Rodale Institute trainings, and experienced producers who have worked with markets such as Union Square Greenmarket. Compliance mechanisms involve corrective action plans and re-inspection, paralleling oversight concepts used by organizations like Food Alliance and auditing practices observed in programs run by National Organic Program auditors and private certifiers such as QAI.

Certification Process and Fees

The certification process generally requires application, producer self-assessment, an on-site inspection, and submission of documentation. Fees are structured to be accessible to small-scale operations, often lower than costs associated with third-party certifiers like QAI or Ecocert, and fees vary regionally similar to sliding scales used by community certification programs in states such as Vermont and California. Payment models and reciprocal agreements echo approaches used by cooperative marketing organizations including Cooperative Extension networks and regional incubator farms like Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture that facilitate market entry for small producers.

Market Impact and Recognition

Certified Naturally Grown has fostered market recognition among consumers frequenting farmers' markets, food cooperatives such as Co-op Food Stores, farm-to-table restaurants associated with chefs in networks around James Beard Foundation programming, and local procurement initiatives in municipalities like Portland, Oregon and Seattle. Retail acceptance includes small grocers and specialty outlets that also source from suppliers certified by entities such as California Certified Organic Farmers and organic wholesalers connected to Whole Foods Market supply chains. The program has been cited in discussions by scholars at Tufts University and policy analysts at USDA Economic Research Service exploring alternatives to centralized certification models.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critics have argued that the peer-review model may lack the rigor and enforcement capacity of federally regulated programs such as the National Organic Program, drawing comparisons to concerns raised about private certification schemes overseen by entities like QAI or Ecocert. Debates have involved consumer advocates, academics at institutions like University of California, Davis and Cornell University, and stakeholders in federated organizations such as the National Farmers Union over transparency, market clarity, and potential for label confusion. Additionally, some market operators and large purchasers who rely on procurement standards from organizations like the USDA or certification schemes endorsed by the James Beard Foundation have hesitated to accept alternative labels without formal regulatory alignment.

Category:Agricultural organizations in the United States