Homesweethomegrown - Welcome to THP. Please do not get all grumpy, but the certification requirements for Kate and Rons 501c3 are greatly exceeded by the Certified Organic program headed by the USDA. So to claim you are the only hot pepper farm that meets those lesser requirements is a bit misleading as many farms meet much, much, much stricter standards.
Heathotsauce, the organic certification program is an International effort with government oversight. In the United States, the program is overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture. Various certifications and tests are conducted by independent businesses, but the program is administered by the USDA.
Certified Naturally Grown is overseen by Kate and Ron who started the thing about a decade ago. The thing is run from Brooklyn, NY (I just heard the Pace Salsa commercial in my head: New York City?) as an alternative for people who want to brag about a certification but do not want to meet the standards of operation and / or testing that the USDA insists upon to be called Certified Organic. Last time I checked, Kate and Ron use a declaration and pier review system.
You declare that you grow your stuff organically and then if one of their members is within an hour they come look at your crop. I guess that means if their are weeds they figure you are not using herbicide, bugs they figure you are not using pesticide. I also understand if there is not a volunteer within an hours drive, then you are exempt from the pier review and your word is good enough.
My personal opinion of this certification is it is bragging that someone does not want to meet the USDA requirements for the officially recognized organic program.
to THP!
