Can urban farms become USDA Certified Organic? The correct answer is yes, and when searching for guidance on the process, there is both a lack of resources covering the topic and a lack of clarity on how different agricultural agencies can support urban producers and handlers in becoming Certified Organic. In general, urban farms can follow the same path to certification as any other farm, but there are specific considerations and nuances to mind to ensure compliance with National Organic Program (NOP) standards.
NOFA NJ is eager to support urban producers in preparing for and navigating the USDA Organic Certification process. With funding from the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program, we’ve compiled a list of resources and address some common questions and concerns that we hear from urban producers regarding Organic Certification (note: this post is mostly focused on urban specialty crop production and will be supplemented with future guidance on urban beekeeping and livestock).
Know of a resource that we’re missing? Help us improve this guidance by emailing [email protected]
The Organic Certification Process
The true first step in becoming Certified Organic is to engage with an organization capable of supporting you through the process. Organizations like one of seven NOFA Chapters, NRCS, and even Accredited Certification Agencies themselves (ACAs, for short) can provide pivotal support early on in the process and can help prevent producers from making any management errors while working through the certification process. Watch the Organic 101 webinar, created by Florida Organic Growers, for an overview of Organic Certification and available resources for producers.
Step 1: Develop an OSP Once you have selected a Certification Agency to work with (visit this page for a list of Agencies in the Northeast US), the next step is to develop your Organic System Plan, also known as the OSP. The OSP is the foundation of the certification process and provides details on how an operation complies with Organic standards. An OSP will include information such as field maps, crops lists, inputs, seed sources, plans for pest and disease control, and more. See this sample OSP from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
Step 2: Ensure Proper Record Keeping Organic Certification requires producers to keep detailed records of purchases, inputs, seed and planting stock, harvest records, and more. Producers should embrace thorough and detailed record keeping, as it will improve management practices and help satisfy National Organic Program requirements. See MOFGA’s Record Keeping for Organic Producers webpage.
Step 3: Get Inspected (and Reviewed) Once a producer has submitted their OSP to the Certification Agency, an Organic Inspector will visit the farm to perform a comprehensive inspection of the operation, from the office to the fields. The resulting inspection report will then be sent for review by the Certification Agency. If the operation is in compliance with Organic regulations, the ACA will then issue an Organic Certificate to the producer. If the reviewer finds any items that are out of compliance with the regulations, the producer will be informed of the items that need to be addressed in order to obtain Certification. Watch the USDA Sound and Sensible video to get a sense of what to expect during an Organic inspection.
Organic Farming & Urban Soils
Perhaps the most notable hurdle for urban producers to obtain Organic Certification involves the medium in which crops are grown. Soil health and stewardship is at the foundation to Organic management practices, and Urban producers must be aware of the need to identify contaminated soils, exclude contaminated soils from contact with crops, and ensure ongoing mitigation against threats of contamination from the surrounding environment.
Pesticides, fertilizers, old paint, construction residues, treated wood, fill dirt, and other contaminants are often part of the history of an urban farm site. These contaminants pose a hazard to the individuals who come in contact with the soil, eat contaminated produce, or inhale toxic particles from the contaminated area(s).
Soil Testing It is imperative for all producers, especially urban producers, to test their soils for contaminants before acquiring or growing on any land. Unfortunately, rural and urban lands have been used as dumping sites, have housed structures coated in lead-based paint, and could have possibly held a variety of buried underground storage tanks. There are a variety of soil testing labs that can identify heavy metal contamination. View this fact sheet on soil lead contamination. A few options include Waypoint Analytical, Penn State University, Rutgers University and UMASS Amherst, among others. The Natural Resource Conservation Service may also be able to test the soil using a portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) device.
If the soil in question does contain excessive amounts of lead or other contaminants, the urban farmer has two options. First, they can elect to excavate the site and remove and replace all contaminated soil, which is costly and subject to strict environmental regulation. The more practical route is to install a physical barrier to prevent contact between plant roots and the contaminated soils. For example, the contaminated soil can be covered with an organic matter, such as wood chips. Raised planting beds made of untreated wood can be lined with a layer or layers of landscaping fabric and filled with OMRI-approved soil, compost, and other growing media.
Additional alternatives to managing contaminated soils include containerized production, greenhouse production, or the use of alternative growing media. Some examples of enterprises that might work well in urban settings with contaminated soils include shoot, sprout, and microgreen production, mushroom production, forced bulb cut flower production, or seedling and nursery production, all produced using OMRI-approved soil or soilless media.
Urban-Specific Considerations
Zoning & Permitting Not just urban farms but all farms should ensure they are operating on land with the proper zoning to allow for agricultural activities. Many cities in NJ and across the U.S. are updating their zoning code to allow for urban farming and food production.
Community Visitors, volunteers, and employees must be managed so as to not violate Organic regulations. Whether the farm is managed by a sole producer or a group of producers, everyone must be informed and comply with the USDA Organic regulations. Certification agencies can revoke a certification due to violations, even if they are accidental.
Water Urban producers should consider both runoff (from roadways and nearby buildings) as well as the quality of municipal water sources when developing an OSP. Not only is it important to prevent external water from contaminating the farm site, it is imperative the irrigation and post-harvest wash water meets federal standards. In Guidance 5026, USDA states “Water used in direct post-harvest crop or food contact (including flume water to transport fruits or vegetables, wash water in produce lines, egg or carcass washing) is permitted to contain chlorine materials at levels approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the Environmental Protection Agency for such purpose”. Inspectors may test the farm’s soil, water, plant tissue, seeds, product samples and more to verify that prohibited substances are not present and are not being applied to the farm site.
Pests and Rodents – Being in an urban setting, it is assumed that rats, mice, cats, and other pests and rodents will pose the threat of contamination. Urban producers should be prepared to mitigate and manage rodents and pests, and are required to do so according to the Facility Pest Management Practice Standard
Tampering/Vandalism While urban producers likely won’t have to worry about spray drift from a nearby conventional farm, vigilance should be maintained against the introduction of foreign substances from passers-by and vandals. Illegal dumping or vandalism introduce contaminants into the operation which, if not handled appropriately, can put the operation out of compliance with the Organic regulations. Urban producers should consider their options for securing the site and deterring potential dumping or vandalism.
Funding & Support for Urban Organic Certification
The NRCS Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production provides grants, cooperative agreements, and technical assistance to support urban, small-scale, and innovative producers with growing, processing and selling. This assistance is also available to community farms and gardens, rooftop, indoor, and vertical farms, and hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic facilities.
The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) connects producers transitioning to Organic with experienced Organic producers who serve as mentors. TOPP also provides funding for technical assistance, educational events, and community-building activities to strengthen the Organic community.
The NRCS Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) supports conservation activities and practices required for organic certification. Producers can work with NRCS field staff, approved technical service providers, and other approved organic partners to implement conservation practices aligned with the NOP Organic Standards.
The USDA Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification. Certified operations may receive up to 75 percent of their certification costs paid during the program year, not to exceed $750 per certification scope. *Funding for OCCSP was not supported in the 2025 Farm Bill extension. Producers can also access Cost-Share funding with help from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
Certified Organic Urban Farms
Grow Pittsburgh Garden Dreams (Pittsburgh, PA)
Growing Hope (Chicago, IL)
Badger Rock Urban Farm (Madison, WI)
Groundwork Market Garden (Buffalo, NY)
Urban Tilth (Richmond, CA)