Our Organic Sprouted Spelt Crust Packs are certified organic, but what does that mean?
It's not quite as easy as deciding to buy all organic ingredients. To carry that green seal, we have to follow a rigorous process.
- Create an Organic System Plan. This plan details how a producer or handler of food products will comply with the regulations. For farmers, that covers things like tilling, grazing, harvesting, storing, and transporting. Manufacturers need to identify their monitoring practices, record-keeping systems, and barriers that prevent the co-mingling of non-organic products or prohibited substances.
- Implement the Organic System Plan and Have it Reviewed by a Certifying Agent. These certifying agents are businesses that have are accredited by the USDA and are located throughout the US. They are responsible for ensuring organic products meet all the current organic standards.
- Receive an Inspection. A certifying agent needs to perform a top-to-bottom inspection of every business applying for certification, and these inspections will vary depending upon the type of farm or business. At a processing facility like ours, the inspector will check the receiving, processing, and storage areas used for organic ingredients and finished products.
- A Certifying Agent Reviews the Inspection Report. The inspector not only submits their inspection report but also presents a risk assessment for contamination and an analysis of the potential hazards and critical control points. The certifying agent reviews all of this documentation.
- Receive the Certifiers Decision. If the business complies with all the rules, it should receive an organic certificate that lists specific products it can sell with an organic identification. An inspection must be done at least once a year to maintain the organic certification.
As you can see, it takes a certain amount of effort to bring you organic-certified goodness, but we do it because we know it Makes Your Body Smile.