PURPOSE: This rule outlines procedures that the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) Organic Program will utilize for inspections and sampling of certification applicants and certified organic entities.
- (1) An initial on-site inspection shall be conducted for each production unit, facility, and site that produces or handles organic products, as required by National Organic Program (NOP) 7 CFR 205.403. The inspector shall conduct an exit interview with the organic entity’s authorized representative at the end of the inspection to verify the accuracy of the inspection. A copy of the exit interview summary shall be given to the applicant at the time of inspection, and a copy of the inspection report shall be provided to the applicant within a reasonable time following the inspection.
(2) The program shall conduct additional inspections to determine compliance to the NOP and department rules of an applicant or organic entity certified by the program when requested by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-NOP administrator or by the department.
- (A) Additional inspections may be conducted without notification at the discretion of the program.
- (3) The department, or any inspection designee of the program, may collect samples of soil, products, or agricultural inputs from randomly or systematically selected organic entities certified by the program as part of the routine annual organic inspection. The department shall collect samples of soil, products, or agricultural inputs when there is reason to believe that land, an input, or product came into contact with a prohibited substance or that excluded methods were used.
- (4) Applicants shall be provided with a receipt for any samples collected by the department, or by the designated inspector. The collected samples shall be analyzed by any qualified laboratory at the expense of the department.
- (5) Results of the individual inspections, sampling, and test analyses shall be provided to the NOP administrator and the certified organic entity or applicant.
AUTHORITY: section 261.110, RSMo Supp. 2002.* Original rule filed Jan. 3, 2003, effective Aug. 30, 2003. *Original authority: 261.110, RSMo 2000, amended 2002.