CHATHAM, Mich. (WZMQ) – At the Michigan State University North Farm on Friday, the organic inspection certification course was put on by the Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center and Agbioresearch.
This event is free to the public due to all funding from a federally funded program, the Transition to Organic Partnership Program. This program hosts these courses all across the nation in hopes of educating the communities on organic farming and what is needed for the certification inspection process.
“So we spent sometime overviewing what the national organic program is, how certification function through third-party certification bodies and inspectors that actually go out and visit farms to verify their practices,” said James DeDecker, Michigan State University Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center.
The participants started with a group discussion on what the national organic program is, how the certification functions through a third-party body, record keeping, and more. Then after breaking for lunch, the group went out to the farm to walk through a certification inspection going over the seed beds and size, crop types and if they live, nutrition management, buffers, and more.
“So, it’s a great mix of folks that are here to learn all about the organic inspection process, we’re getting a lot of great questions so it’s also just a space to be able to have those questions brought up to have a discussion about them and really dig into the certification,” said Mariel Borgman, Community Food System Educator with Michigan State University Extension.
Organizers hope with these events to grow and educate the organic farming community with this course, whether that is getting the certification or just educating the masses. This course is not only a chance for the participants to learn about organic inspections but for the hosts to be exposed and learn something new as well.
Organizers share how the community and people are what make these events, “Really just getting to know people learn from each other and build a community of support um, to continue to strengthen that system,” said Allison Walent, Transition to Partnership Program Midwest Director.
Organizers would like to clarify this course does not count as a certified inspection. The Michigan State University Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center is hosting its 125th celebration next Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information on the U.P. Reasearch and Extension center go to its homepage, and for information on the Transition to Organic Partnership go to its webpage.
