Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) is the largest certifier of organic maple products in the country! Our staff understands maple production in Vermont and is the local choice for organic maple certification. Like all organic certifying agencies in the United States, VOF certifies farmers and processors to the National Organic Program (NOP) standards.
The process for organic certification takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks from the time we receive your completed application and minimum certification fee payment. We strongly encourage new producers to apply as early as possible—even before maple season begins.
Important note: you must have your organic certificate in hand before you begin marketing any product as organic. This includes the sale of sap to a producer who plans to boil the sap into organic maple syrup. It is not enough to be "in process" for certification. You must be certified organic before you sell any sap or syrup as organic.
Preparatory Resources
The VOF Organic Maple Certification Welcome Packet serves as a compilation of crucial starting information, including a readiness checklist, the complete maple guidelines, certification fee information, and more. These resources can also be individually found below.
The most important part of starting your journey to becoming certified organic for maple products is to read and understand the pertinent guidelines for organic maple products. It is critical that all maple producers read and understand these guidelines.
Fill out this eligibility checklist to determine if you are ready for organic certification.
Share the checklist for foresters with your consulting forester to ensure that your Forest Management Plan complies with VOF guidelines.
The new sugarbush form is required paperwork for your organic application (sometimes called the "organic system plan"). You will want to complete a new sugarbush form for each bush you plan to tap.
If you have co-management rights for any of the parcels used to collect sap, you will need to complete a Land Use Affidavit for each leased sugarbush.
Calculate estimated organic certification fees.
Understand the stages of certification.
See templates and checklists for their Sugarhouse Certification Program (a program created by sugar makers, for sugar makers that interprets the current food safety rules for maple operations).
Applying for Certification
Once you have read the guidelines, looked through the eligibility checklist, and begun to collect the necessary documentation, you are ready to contact the VOF office to request access to our online application portal. We are also ready to answer any questions you might have about the guidelines or the process! Applications for organic certification are only available via our online portal (or in paper form if requested) and you must contact our office and speak with a Certification Specialist before you receive access to the application.
Ready to apply? Contact our office by emailing info@vermontorganic.org or calling 802-434-3821. We look forward to certifying you!