OMRI Exceeds 4,000 Products

(April 27, 2016) OMRI (The Organic Materials Review Institute) recently exceeded 4,000 products reviewed and listed for organic use. OMRI Listed® products are compliant with the organic standards and allowed for use in certified organic production. The nonprofit organization is approaching 20 years supporting organic certification through expert, independent product reviews.

Executive Director/CEO Peggy Miars reflects that, "When OMRI began, I don't think anyone knew how successful it would be. At that time, there weren't 4,000 compliant products on the market! Now as the organic industry continues to grow, so does the market for allowed inputs."

Over the past 10 years, the number of incoming applications to OMRI has grown from an average of 24 applications per month to 76. During this time OMRI also obtained ISO accreditation and initiated a re-review policy to ensure that every product is reviewed for compliance at least every five years. In 2013, OMRI launched the OMRI Canada program and began accepting applications for review under the Canada Organic Regime (COR) standards. Still only two years old, the OMRI Canada Products List© recently surpassed 130 products allowed for use in organic production under COR standards, and the list continues to grow each month.

According to Miars, "OMRI is tasked with keeping up with incredible industry growth and we have been actively scaling our business model to accommodate the demand. Our focus is on following up and preserving integrity. We are not just reviewing products once. We are maintaining the formula, manufacturing process and ingredient information for over 4,000 listed products. Product changes, random surveillance, annual renewals and five-year ongoing compliance reviews are just some of the activities essential to safeguarding the continued integrity of the OMRI Products List©."

While all organic certifiers verify the input products used in their certified farms, and some maintain a public list of allowed products, OMRI is the only completely independent organization that specializes solely in inputs. OMRI Listed products are also catching on among home gardeners and consumers who appreciate knowing that products they buy in retail outlets are verified to comply with organic standards. OMRI was created to make compliant products easy to identify and use, and at 4,000 products there are now more options than ever to support organic practices throughout North America and around the world.

Contact:Amy Bradsher, Senior Marketing Director
(541) 343-7600 ext.106

Founded in 1997, the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) provides organic certifiers, growers, manufacturers and suppliers an independent review of products intended for use in certified organic production, handling and processing. OMRI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. When companies apply, OMRI reviews their products against the organic standards. Acceptable products are OMRI Listed® and appear on the OMRI Products List© or OMRI Canada Products List©. OMRI also provides technical support and training to agricultural professionals.