For More Information Visit The Official FOG Website http://www.foginfo.org/
Greetings:
As a consumer and grower membership organization, FOG encourages ecologically responsible farming practices through educational and outreach programs and services. We provide these services of educational outreach to our members that include farmers, gardeners, consumers, businesses, and professionals in agricultural fields, and to the general public. We also work with universities such as the University of Florida and Florida A&M in agricultural presentations to students and professional organizations on organic and sustainable farming. FOG also helps to organize conferences and workshops for members and interested parties about organic and sustainable agriculture techniques. FOG was the host organization of the 1997 Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Groups (SSAWG) held January 16 - 19 in Gainesville, Florida. The conference featured work shops, farm tours, and food grown using organic and sustainable methods provided by southern farmers.
FOG is also a private certification organization licensed by the State of Florida. FOG provides the service of certification of organic farms and organic processors who choose to follow organic production practices outlined by FOG certification standards. An applicant submits a farm or processor application to be peer-reviewed by the volunteer FOG certification committee along with a report of an on-site inspection completed by a third party independent organic inspector. The FOG certification committee then determines if the applicant's operation meets FOG certification standards and approves or disapproves the application for certification. Certification may also depend on an applicant meeting any special provisions to comply with FOG standards requested by the certification committee. Each year a certified grower's operation must be reinspected and then reviewed by the certification committee to issue a recertification. FOG certifies domestically and internationally.
FOG has a good working relationship with other certifying agents and is a member of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), Organic Trade Association, Organic Certifiers Council and the International Certifiers Council. We are participating in completing a reciprocity agreement within the Southern Certifiers Caucus. Our growers have been recognized on a case by case basis for the sale of FOG certified products nationally and internationally. FOG is committed and effective in assisting our growers in obtaining domestic and foreign approval through document review.
This service was initiated to fill the need of organic growers in meeting state laws in Florida. The Florida Organic Farming and Food Law was established in 1990 to protect the consumer, producer, and retailers by insuring that products produced organically actually are. it is important to recognize, according to the Florida Organic Farming and Food Law, that without certification, producer that uses organic production practices can not Sell his or her produce as organic unless certification is complete: FOG was founded with the primary purpose of acting as an educational membership organization and strives to achieve this purpose when providing verifiable certification to organic growers at affordable prices and operating as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Please call the FOG office and we may discuss any questions that you have. Thank you for your interest.
Sincerely,
Amy Desiderio
Florida Organic Growers
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Last
update this page: 09/10/02