Frequently
Asked Questions4. What IOIA trainings are currently scheduled?
5. How can organic inspectors become accredited by IOIA?
6. Inspector Membership Requirements and Benefits
8. Where can I get information about approved products and materials?
Who is IOIA?The International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA) is a non-profit association of trained farm and processing inspectors dedicated to the verification of organic production processes. IOIA was founded in 1991 by organic inspectors who recognized the need for uniform inspection processes and protocols, to build inspector skills, and promote public confidence. The mission of IOIA is to address issues and concerns relevant to organic inspectors, to provide quality inspector training and to promote integrity and consistency in the organic certification process.
IOIA currently has 222 members in 20 countries. IOIA has an office in Broadus, Montana, USA and a 7 member Board of Directors. IOIA Committees include Accreditation, Bylaws, Canadian, Communications, Finance, Latin American, Membership, and Training. The membership meets annually at various locations in North and Central America.
IOIA offers supporting membership opportunities for individuals, businesses, organizations, and certification agencies. Individual supporting members include persons interested in the inspection process, representatives of organic food manufacturers, and representatives of certification groups. IOIA currently has over 100 supporting members.
IOIA coordinates inspector trainings for beginning and experienced inspectors, assists in industry networking, and publishes inspector manuals and resource materials. IOIA courses are recognized internationally. IOIA has conducted numerous inspector training courses in the US, Canada, Central America, South America, Australia, Japan, and other parts of the world. There are 2 major types of trainings: those sponsored by IOIA alone and regional trainings co-sponsored upon request from other groups who assist in logistics and organization. IOIA is open to training requests from any group, provided IOIA criteria are used as the basis for the course and IOIA-approved Training Coordinators coordinate the course.
IOIA has published Inspection Manuals, a Training Coordinator Manual, and the OCC/IOIA Certification Forms Templates. Our quarterly newsletter The Inspector’s Report is provided free to members and by subscription to non-members.
IOIA is a member of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements), OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute), Co-op America, and OTA (Organic Trade Association).
IOIA is not an employment service and does not arrange work for inspectors. Rather, it is an association of inspectors which strives to provide support services for inspectors and an opportunity for a collective voice in industry issues. IOIA has no alliance to any particular certification agency. However, IOIA attempts to serve the Organic Sector by working closely with numerous regional, state, provincial, and international certification agencies, as well as with governmental agencies and IFOAM, to develop policies relating to organic inspection and inspector training. All certifiers are invited to attend IOIA trainings and present their programs.
Who
are organic inspectors? What do they do?
Inspectors may be independent contractors or they may be employees
of certification agencies or government programs. They must generally have
background, experience, or training related to the type of operations they
inspect. Each certification agency has specific requirements for acceptance
as an inspector. Inspectors are the eyes and ears of the certification process
for the certifier and ultimately, for the consumer. They must not have financial
conflicts of interest with the parties they inspect.
After applications for certification are received by a certification agency, the agency makes arrangements for an inspector’s services. Annual inspection is required for certification. Inspectors visit the operation, verify accuracy of the application and adherence to the agency’s written standards. They carefully inspect all aspects of production, including materials used, soil conservation and management, equipment, storage facilities, and record keeping system.
Special
attention is given to the identification and analysis of organic control points—those
places where the organic integrity of a product could be compromised. Additional
written documentation, labels, etc. are collected during inspection if necessary
to complete the application. Samples may be taken, although not frequently,
as organic certification is the certification of a process rather than a product.
Inspectors must verify that an audit trail exists, which means that a document
trail exists to track the crop from the time of planting, production, harvest,
storage, sale, and transport to the point of final sale. Following the inspection,
the inspector submits a written report and all documents or other materials
to the certifying agency. The agency makes the final decision on whether an
applicant is certified.
Important skills for the inspector are experience in either agriculture or
food processing, understanding of organic standards and principles, good observation
skills, good social skills, the ability to maintain confidentiality in all
matters related to inspection and certification, language fluency, familiarity
with the region of inspection, and commitment to organic systems.
Few inspectors realize full-time income from organic inspection, due to the
seasonal nature of farm inspection work. However, there are opportunities
to work year-round in processing and on at an international level.
How can I become
an organic inspector?
Suggested steps:
1. Research the field. Determine the need for inspectors in
your geographic area by contacting certification groups in your local area
and other inspectors. Get an idea of which certification groups you would
like to work with and learn their specific requirements for inspectors.
2. Self-assessment. Evaluate your unique skills, abilities, and interests in relation to the requirements of inspectors. Inspection usually involves travel and long work days while doing inspections interspersed with periods of intense report writing to meet critical deadlines, and periods of no inspection work. Clear writing skills and the ability to meet deadlines are essential. The product by which an inspector is measured is, to a large degree, the report. Inspection work can be very difficult when cases of fraud or negligence are uncovered. Do you have the integrity to do the job diligently? Are you familiar with organic standards and principles? Do you have good oral and written communications skills? Are you committed to ongoing professional upgrading as needed? If so, organic inspection may be an opportunity for you.
3. Attend an
IOIA Training. While this training is not a guarantee of inspection work,
IOIA trainings are endorsed by most certifiers and usually recommended by
them as the first step. IOIA trainings are usually offered in the late fall
to early spring. The costs for each course include tuition,course materials
(including the IOIA Inspection Manual), meals, and lodging. Costs vary but
run approximately $700 - $1000 US per 4 day course. IOIA Members receive membership
discounts. Courses are very rigorous with long days and some evening sessions.
Events are usually scheduled in a semi-rural location and an attempt is made
to provide as much organic food as possible. Courses are presented by IOIA
approved Training Coordinators with additional speakers. Annually, IOIA offers
the Andrew Rutherford Scholarship
(deadline to have applications in is Oct 1) and the Organic
Community Initiative Scholarship, both of which cover tuition, meals,
and lodging at an IOIA training. Successful applicants for either scholarship
must pay their own transportation costs.
4. Apprenticeship.
IOIA wrote a comprehensive Apprenticeship program in 1998. The program
proposed to pair apprentices and mentors for up to 2 years. Apprentices would
complete 3 phases:
1. Successful completion of IOIA inspector training.
2. Accompany experienced inspector on at least 3 inspections, writing reports
for the 2nd and 3rd inspections for review by the mentor.
3. Submit an additional 7 inspection reports for review and evaluation by
the mentor.
Apprentices would pay to apply for this program. Mentors would evaluate the
work of the apprentice. The IOIA Training Manager would monitor the progress
of both the apprentice and the mentor. This formal apprenticeship program
was never implemented due to lack of funding. “Apprentice inspector” remains
an informal term with several different meanings. Apprentice inspectors who
are interested in an informal apprenticeship should contact experienced inspectors
in their area and ask to accompany them on one or more inspections as an observer.
Some mentors are willing to take apprentices. Others are not. Some charge
for their services; most do not. In some cases, veteran inspectors pay the
apprentices as assistants. Some certification agencies have specific requirements
for new inspectors. In all cases, the apprentice inspector completes an inspection
while observed by the veteran. The experienced inspector is responsible for
the quality of the report, signs the final draft, and is paid for the inspection.
Informal apprenticeship in each category (Crops, Livestock, and Processing)
is recommended before seeking work of that category and is usually accepted
by certification agencies. Prospective inspectors should contact individual
agencies for more information specific to that agency.
5. Make yourself known. One way to do so is to maintain an IOIA membership.
Supporting Certification Agencies are the organizations potentially requiring
your services. These members of IOIA receive the annual IOIA Membership Directory
as a resource.
Training Requirements
Acceptance to IOIA
Courses is limited. Once you are accepted to the course, an instructional
letter and curriculum materials will be mailed to you (about one month prior
to the training). Please take the time to read these in full before attending
the course. Inspector applicants to these IOIA trainings must meet the following
acceptance criteria:
