Understanding Organic Inspections

Understanding Organic Inspections

Summary: Organic inspections verify that your farm or facility is following your approved Organic System Plan (OSP) and meeting USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards. Expect an annual inspection, with possible additional or unannounced visits. Preparing in advance by reviewing your OSP, organizing records, and supporting the inspector helps ensure a smooth process. Accurate recordkeeping and traceability are essential.

Why Organic Inspections Matter

Organic inspections are a critical part of maintaining certification. They confirm that your OSP accurately describes your practices — and that your actual practices follow the organic rules.

An Oregon Tilth inspector visits your site to verify compliance with USDA organic regulations. This includes reviewing your fields, facilities, and recordkeeping systems.

Pre-Inspection: Review Your OSP

When and how should I review my OSP?

Don’t wait until the last minute. You can access your Organic System Plan (OSP) through MyOTCO. Log in and use the “Files” tab to download your OSP.

What should I check?

• Accuracy: Is all information current?
• Materials: Are listed inputs correct and still in use?
• Communication: Have you responded to all OTCO notices, corrections, or required updates?

What if I need to make updates?

If you need to make updates, please email your client services team to update your OSP. They will be able to assist you. Changes to your OSP cannot be made in MyOTCO. Changes to your OSP cannot be made in MyOTCO. If you have an OSP update completed close to your scheduled inspection, you may provide the completed form to the inspector.

Inspection Requirements and What to Expect

How often do inspections happen?

Certified operations are inspected once per year, at minimum. Additional inspections may be required for:

• Major changes to your operation
• Complaints or compliance concerns
• Random or risk-based sampling
• Expedited service requests

When are new operations inspected?

• Crops & Livestock: Before harvest or sale
• Processors/Handlers: Before organic production begins
  Inspections must occur within 6 months of your operation being ready.

How long does an inspection take?

Anywhere from a few hours to multiple days, depending on the size and complexity of your operation.

When will I see results?

Your inspection report is available in MyOTCO within a few weeks. Certification decisions typically take 45-60+ days.

Who must be present?

You, or an authorized representative who is familiar with your organic system, must be present — along with any staff needed to answer questions.

Inspectors must be granted full access, including:

• Certified and non-certified areas
• Facilities and storage
• Financial records related to organic activities

What to expect during an inspection?

• Stay organized: Keep your internal controls and quality assurance measures current.
• Review checklists: Go through pre-inspection checklists and confirm records are complete.
• Practice audits: Run internal audit exercises to understand what inspectors will look for and identify gaps early.

Scheduling Your Inspection

How is an inspector assigned?

We select a qualified inspector based on your operation type and location. We often coordinate inspections in your area to help reduce travel costs.

When will my inspection be scheduled?

After your initial OSP review, you’ll receive a confirmation letter with inspector contact info and scheduling details.

Need to cancel?

Notify us as early as possible. Cancellations within 7 days of your inspection may result in:

• Reimbursement for the inspector’s costs
• An administrative fee (see Fee Schedule)
  Contact: inspections@tilth.org

Using expedited services?

Expedited inspections will be prioritized as able. Expedited inspections will cost significantly more and are based on availability and logistics.

Issues contacting your inspector?

Reach our Inspections Team at inspections@tilth.org or (541) 237-7108

Want to request a different inspector?

Email your concerns to inspections@tilth.org. Valid reasons include:

• Conflicts of interest
• Unprofessional behavior
• Prior relationships

Recordkeeping and Audit Trails

Good records are key to completing your inspection. You’ll be asked to walk through at least two audit trail exercises to demonstrate traceability and compliance.

Types of Audit Trail Exercises:

During your inspection, the inspector will audit your records:

• Audit Trail: Documentation that is sufficient to determine the source, transfer of ownership, and transportation of any organic product.
• Mass Balance Audit: (aka In/Out audit), an evaluation of whether an operation produced enough organic product or received enough organic ingredients to support the amount of organic product that was produced, shipped, and/or sold during a particular time frame.
• Traceback Audit: (aka Traceability audit) an evaluation of whether one lot of a product sold as organic can be followed backward through the entire audit trail chain of records to an organic origin (ingredient purchased, crop produced, seed planted, live animal purchase/birthed, etc.).
  • The audit depends on the use of unique identifiers—such as lot numbers—that appear in documents linking outgoing product backward through the production and storage records to the certified organic supplier, dam, or field.
  • A traceback audit is successful when organic identity and integrity are verified as fully traceable through documents that relate to each other through the unique identifiers.

Do you have both organic and non-organic production?

Be prepared to provide documentation for both organic and non-organic production if requested.

No organic production yet?

If you haven’t started production, but have sample or test batch records, that may be sufficient for inspection.

No audit trail available?

An additional inspection will be required if traceability cannot be verified.

Pre-Inspection Checklists

We offer checklists to help you prepare:

• OTCO Livestock Inspection Checklist
• OTCO Crop Inspection Checklist
• OTCO Processing Inspection Checklist

Use these to organize your paperwork and prepare staff for inspection.

Unannounced Inspections

We conduct unannounced inspections as required by the USDA to ensure ongoing compliance. These may be:

• Random
• Risk-based
• Remote or onsite

Who can be inspected?

Any certified operation can be inspected for organic compliance — at any time.

Why are they done?

• Verify ongoing compliance
• Respond to complaints
• Follow up on noncompliances
• Investigate buffer zone, residue, or contamination concerns

Can I refuse an unannounced organic inspection?

No. Refusal to cooperate with an unannounced organic inspection can result in suspension or revocation of certification.

Will I be charged for an unannounced organic inspection?

OTCO covers most unannounced inspections. If the inspection is part of a corrective action, costs may apply.

Need Help?

Contact the Oregon Tilth Inspections Team:
📧 inspections@tilth.org
📞 (541) 237-7108