IOIA LIVESTOCK INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS EXERCISE

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What do the NOP Organic Livestock Standards Say?

The following are common inspection scenarios when inspecting organic livestock operations. Use your CFR and IFOAM/IOIA Organic Inspection Manual to determine what questions you need to ask, what additional information you need to get, or what course of action you need to take, given the information provided in each scenario below.

  1. During the inspection of an organic beef operation, the livestock operator informed you that he bought some bred heifers on January 1 this year to diversify his breeding stock. He wants to certify the calves from these heifers. What additional information do you need to get regarding these purchased heifers? Cite the appropriate rule.

Actual calving dates. Are all other organic standards met? 205.236.a.3

  1. During inspection of a poultry operation, you are verifying the mixed ration ingredients and find that dL-methionine (an amino acid) is being used in the ration. This didn’t show up on the Organic System Plan. The producer said that it was approved last year by her certification agency. What questions do you ask? Cite the relevant rule.

Dates of use. Which poultry received it? Were the sold as organic? 205.237.a. and 205.603

  1. During inspection of sheep in June, you note a substantial amount of grain straw in the manure/bedding piled outside the lambing pens. What questions should you ask and what additional information should you obtain? Cite the relevant rule.

Source of straw. Was it organic? 205.239.3

  1. During inspection of a cattle ranch, you notice a gallon jug of Durasect in the tack room. You ask if and how it is used. The rancher responds that he pens his bulls before he turns them out and once again during the summer to spray them for flies. What questions will you ask? Cite the relevant rule.

Is this practice recorded? What is the waiting time before they have contact with other animals?

  1. A dairy farmer is using a mineral premix feed supplement. The label at inspection does not match the label provided in the Organic System Plan. What is your course of action? What additional questions will you ask?

Get a new label. Determine the dates of use. Look at purchase receipts. Look at ingredients.

  1. A dairy farmer is using chlorhexidine teat dip to sanitize the teats of each cow prior to milking. What information do you need to gather about the teat dip?

What other alternative germicidal agents and/or physical barriers were used? Is there documentation? 205.603.a.4

  1. During inspection, a rancher shows you a pile of CCA treated fence posts and says he bought them at an auction sale 3 years ago. He wants to use them and asks if he can. What will you do and say? Cite any relevant rules.

Where does he plan to use them? Will livestock have access to them? “Up to certifier to determine if consistent with” 205.205.f

  1. An organic pasture adjoins a conventional field. What questions do you need to ask and what additional information is needed from the livestock operator?

What information does the grower have about the practices on this field? Has his/her neighbor been notified of the organic status of this ranch? Is there any type of agreement? Is it in writing? What stage of production are animals when allowed access to the pasture?

  1. A Montana dairy farmer, being inspected for the first time, states he applies his on-farm manure to his fields throughout the year. What additional questions should you ask? Cite all relevant rules.

What is the plan to prevent risk to soil and water quality? Level of groundwater? Rates applied? Risk of run-off? Any soil tests done to support the manure load applied. 205.203.c and 205.238.c

  1. A swine producer applied Ivomec on his sows. What questions will you ask? Cite the relevant rule.

Date of application. Anticipated farrowing date (gestation period of swine is 112-115 days). Is this a routine application? Were alternatives attempted? What is the plan to avoid a repeat? 205.238.4

  1. A sheep rancher has unfenced oil well pump sites scattered throughout the pasture. What questions will you ask? Cite the appropriate rules.

Are any herbicides applied? Do livestock have access to the sites (when and what stage of production).What arrangement has been made with the oil company to insure that herbicide is not applied?205.237

  1. When you inspect a small producer with a herd of 15 cows, he knows his cows by name but uses no individual identification such as ear tags. Cite the standards that relate to record keeping and animal identification requirements. What questions will you ask to determine compliance with the rules?

How does he identify his animals? Is there a system? Can it be used to track animals adequately from birth to sale. If so, Report it. 205.103 and 205.236

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