Page 13 - Griffin Gazette Spring 2017
P. 13
By John Johnston, development? Well, we do in several trademark and must only be used in direct
Retail Education ways. As an industry, we support OMRI connection with a specific product on the
Manager through sponsorships, government grants, OMRI-Listed products list. In April 2016,
manufacturers, product licensing and OMRI-Listed products exceeded 4,000
Are you familiar with labeling. Of course, as consumers, our items reviewed and listed for organic use.
the butterfly effect? purchases of certified products help fund
It’s the concept that OMRI’s work, too. According to Rick Yates, GGSPro Technical
small causes can Services Manager, “Growers who wish to
have large effects. But wait, it doesn’t end there. We buy operate under certified organic production
The idea is that a organic foods in stores from certified practices find that the OMRI listing system
single occurrence, farmers, organic meats from certified gives them the standardization, guidelines
even a small one, can dramatically change ranches, organic eggs and chickens from and credibility that they seek. The OMRI
the course of events that follow. certified poultry farmers. The list goes on website has a fully searchable database that
and on. growers can use to determine the OMRI-
Now, most of you are probably pretty familiar Listed status of products they’re considering
with OMRI—what the organization is, and Common marketing messages at retail utilizing. If a product is approved for certain
how specific products bear its trademarked today include the words safe, natural, uses and not others, those conditions
label. But what about your customers? certified, organic, free-range, non-GMO, are spelled out to add clarity for
Do they understand what OMRI is and USDA-approved, non-chemical and bee- participating growers.”
what it does? How has this organization friendly. I firmly believe that OMRI was the
impacted our industry and how we perceive
organics today? “It may have taken 20 years to see the OMRI
impact at store level, but the effects will surely
History of OMRI continue to ripple through our supply chain.”
Founded in 1997, the Organic Materials
Review Institute (OMRI) is a 501(c)(3) seed that may have started this renaissance Expanding the Category
nonprofit organization that provides organic of purity and organic awareness, the roots The number of consumer products bearing
certifiers, organic growers, manufacturers of which stretch far and wide. the OMRI-Listed logo has surged in recent
and suppliers an independent review years. This trend is sure to continue as new
of products intended for use in certified A Logo with Meaning audiences enter the retail (and wholesale)
organic production, handling and OMRI’s reach extends to consumers and markets, seeking organic products
processing. OMRI reviews “input product” educators, input suppliers, certifiers and, and supplies.
to determine compliance with the USDA finally, farmers and organic professionals.
National Organic Standards and/or Canada You can bet the farm that these organic OMRI research is also accepted and
Organic Regime (COR) standards. professionals include medicinal research supported by our neighbors to the north,
and production! OMRI research, Canada. Qualifying products sold in
The mission of OMRI “is to support the through trials and well-documented field Canada carry their own OMRI-Listed logo;
growth and trust of the global organic practice, has contributed heavily to the there’s also a combined USA/Canada
community through expert, independent government’s application and regulation of label for products that meet the criteria
and transparent verification of input the word “organic” when used on food or of both the United States Department
materials, and through education and fiber products. of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canada
technical assistance.” At the time OMRI Organic Regime (COR).
was founded, more than 40 certifiers were Input Products for Retailers and
performing organic certification using Wholesalers Griffin offers many OMRI-Listed products
various state and private standards. Not until In order for a food to be sold at retail as from both well-known and relatively
the year 2000, when the National Organic “organic,” the item must conform to new manufacturers. Sun Gro, Premier,
Standards (NOS) was published, did we organic grower standards throughout Hydrofarm, Blommer, St. Gabriels Labs,
have a starting point to certify organics and the crop cycle. Griffin, as a supplier for Safer, Monterey, Dynamite, Hoffman,
finally begin government enforcement two farm, greenhouse and medicinal plant Nature’s Source, Neptune’s Harvest, MYKE,
years later. producers, provides some of the OMRI- Healthy Grow, Sustane, Biosafe, Concern,
Listed inputs these growers need, including and Summit all have OMRI-Listed products
With the financial backing of California fertilizers, chemical and biological controls, featured in our 2017 Griffin catalogs.
Certified Organic Farmers, Organic and disinfectants.
Trade Association, Oregon Tilth Certified Scanning the Retail Market
Organic and Organic Crop Improvement OMRI-Listed certification isn’t for everyone. Consider drawing some extra attention to
Association, along with many donors The cost to become certified and maintain the OMRI-Listed products in your store. The
including Newman’s Own Organics, Whole that status is expensive to manufacturers. designation carries quite a bit of meaning
Foods Market, Smuckers Quality Beverages Some that have qualifying products to consumers who believe in the benefits
and the Humane Society, OMRI stepped out choose not to pursue certification due to of organic products. Next-generation
of the shadows to forge universal standards the associated cost. It’s also no surprise consumers are likely to be even stronger
and policies. Who could have predicted that that more than 10% of all products in their allegiance to all things organic.
the next 20 years of research from OMRI submitted for certification are withdrawn or It may have taken 20 years to see the
would change the course of agriculture with refused because they don’t meet OMRI’s OMRI impact at store level, but the effects
regard to organics, certification, practice, strict parameters. will surely continue to ripple through our
safety, labeling, marketing and evaluation? supply chain.
The OMRI-Listed seal is a registered
The Seed That Grew Everywhere
The fact that OMRI is a nonprofit raises
the question: Who pays for all this work
and the people behind the research and