The requirements are as follows

For crop farms

3 years with no application of prohibited materials (no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or GMOs) prior to harvest of the first certified organic crop;
Implementation of an Organic System Plan, with proactive fertility systems; conservation measures; environmentally sound manure, weed, disease, and pest management practices; and soil building crop rotation systems;
Use of natural inputs and/or approved synthetic substances on the National List;
No use of prohibited substances while certified;
No use of genetically engineered organisms, (GMOs) defined in the rule as excluded methods;
No sewage sludge or irradiation;
Use of organic seeds, when commercially available;
Use of organic seedlings for annual crops;
Restrictions on use of raw manure and compost;
Maintenance of buffer zones, depending on risk of contamination;
No residues of prohibited substances exceeding 5% of the EPA tolerance.

For livestock operations

Implementation of an Organic Livestock Plan;
Mandatory outdoor access, when seasonally appropriate;
Access to pasture for ruminants;
No antibiotics, growth hormones, slaughter byproducts, or GMOs;
100% organic feed and approved feed supplements;
  • Sound animal husbandry and preventative health care;
  • Organic management from last third of gestation or 2nd day after hatching;
No rotating animals between organic and non-organic management.

For processing operations

No commingling or contamination of organic products during processing;
Implementation of an Organic Handling Plan;,
No use of GMOs or irradiation;
  • Proactive sanitation and facility pest management practices;
  • Use of organic agricultural ingredients in organic products, when commercially available; and
  • Use of approved label claims for 100% organic, organic (at least 95% organic ingredients), Made with organic ingredients (at least 70% organic ingredients), and proper use of the word organic in ingredient list (less than 70% organic ingredients).

 

For more information/clarification refer to NPOP document of APEDA website www.apeda.com