Prominent Resource for Organic Industry Sees Unprecedented Growth

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(March 21, 2018) OMRI (the Organic Materials Review Institute), North America’s largest input review program for the organic industry, has grown to include over 6,000 products OMRI Listed® for organic use. While applications for OMRI listing continue to increase, the organization has expanded staffing and improved the application process, shortening review times to a median of around two months while maintaining high quality. Over 1,000 products have been added to the OMRI Products Lists© in the past 9 months. For thousands of organic farmers and processors around the world who rely on OMRI every day, more OMRI Listed products means a streamlined certification process and more time to focus on producing healthful, nutritious food. OMRI’s growth is setting the stage for a thriving organic industry, while the nonprofit organization’s rigorous process protects the integrity of the organic label.

According to Executive Director/CEO Peggy Miars, “We are actively planning for growth so that OMRI can provide responsive, thorough service even as our workload continues to increase. At the same time, it has never been more important to keep our reviews consistent and thorough. It is exciting to see OMRI growing as a resource for the organic industry, and we are ensuring quality and making sure nothing slips through the cracks during this time of rapid growth.”

OMRI is an essential service for certifiers as well, with many certification agents requesting that their clients use OMRI Listed products. According to Nicole Dehne, Certification Director for Vermont Organic Farmers and the Chair for OMRI’s Board of Directors, “Farmers often need materials reviewed yesterday. When an input is OMRI Listed, we as certifiers know what we need to know, and we can keep the process moving for our organic producers. For livestock producers especially, it’s important to have a good list of options close at hand for any problems that may arise, and to be able to address those problems quickly and organically.”

The 2018 OMRI Products List includes over 400 livestock products, while the majority of OMRI’s 6,000 listed products are intended for crop production uses as fertilizers, soil amendments, or compliant pesticides. The organization recently celebrated 20 years of support for organic growth and integrity.

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