Guide for Organic Livestock Producers

This guide is an overview of the process of becoming certified organic. It is designed to explain the USDA organic regulations as they apply to livestock producers. If you are also producing crops, you will need the "Guide for Organic Producers" to understand the regulations pertaining to the land and to crop production. In addition to explaining the regulations, both guides give examples of the practices that are allowed for organic production. The first four chapters of the crops guide are essentially the same as the first four of this guide; they give an introduction to the National Organic Program (NOP), the organiccertification process, the Organic System Plan (OSP), and much more. You can find the crops guide and many other helpful publications at www.attra.ncat.org. If you have already read the crops guide or if you already are familiar with the certification process, proceed to Chapter 5, "Overview of Organic Livestock Systems" in this guide.