USDA-Accredited Certifying Agent
A private, foreign, or state entity accredited by the USDA to certify operations to the National Organic Program standards.
A USDA-Accredited Certifying Agent — usually called a certifier — is the entity that actually inspects, reviews, and decides whether an operation meets the National Organic Program standards. The USDA NOP accredits the certifier; the certifier certifies the operation.
Who they are
Roughly 80 organizations are accredited at any given time. They include:
- Non-profit organic associations (CCOF, OEFFA, MOSA)
- State departments of agriculture
- For-profit certifying agencies (NFC, Quality Assurance International, Oregon Tilth)
- Foreign accredited bodies (for operations exporting to the U.S.)
The complete current list lives in the USDA's Organic Integrity Database.
What they do
The accreditation requirements at NOP §205.501 oblige certifiers to:
- Review applications and Organic System Plans
- Conduct an on-site inspection of every certified operation at least annually
- Issue certificates of organic operation
- Maintain records of every certification decision for at least 10 years
- Investigate complaints and noncompliances
How operations choose one
Operations are free to use any USDA-accredited certifier. Choice typically comes down to geographic coverage (some certifiers don't operate in every state), specialization (livestock, processing, international export), turnaround time, and fee structure. Switching certifiers mid-cycle is allowed but requires a clean handoff of records.
Quick Organics + certifiers
Quick Organics is configured per certifier. The Common product is the platform's standard configuration; NFC and CCOF have their own configurations with overlay templates and certifier-specific workflows. Operations link to their certifier inside the platform; submissions and change requests route to that certifier's review queue.
Cited regulations
Linked to the current eCFR text of 7 CFR Part 205. Reviewed before publication.
QO Editorial Team
Quick Organics
Quick Organics' editorial team writes about USDA organic certification, the Organic System Plan, and the daily realities of running a certified organic operation. Material is reviewed against the current eCFR text of 7 CFR Part 205 before publication.