Yes! We absolutely encourage CNG farmers and ranchers to use vaccines as part of their disease management plan. Since most conventional veterinary medications are not allowed, having a robust strategy for managing herd and flock health is key.
Like our compost standards, CNG's manure requirements are based on National Organic Program, EPA, and FDA guidelines for food safety. For applications of manure, we require the following intervals between manure application and crop harvest: --120 day interval for crops in which…
CNG requires that growers have one year of experience producing and selling their products before applying for certification. We look for practices to be tried and tested to ensure that growing methods are successful and sustainable. Let us know that you're interested in certification; we'd…
In order to determine if an input is allowed for use in your CNG operation, go through the following steps. Is the product OMRI-listed? If yes, you're good to go! (Note that we do not allow rotenone or synthetic hydroponic…
Poultry must have at least 5 square feet per bird of free-roaming space outdoors, or 2 square feet per bird if poultry is penned and is moved to fresh pasture each day. When kept indoors overnight or during extreme weather,…
All animals must have access to the outdoors, as well as shade, shelter, fresh air, and direct sunlight, except in cases of inclement weather. In particular, ruminants should spend most of their time on pasture for 120 days or more…
Most conventional veterinary medicines are not allowed under CNG standards (vaccines are an important exception). When necessary to prevent animal suffering and death, CNG requires producers to use the most effective veterinary treatment available –whether synthetic or natural. Preserving certification…
If your feed is certified organic, then it meets CNG standards. If your livestock are pasture-raised and don't receive supplemental feed then you're probably good to go, so long as you don't add synthetic fertilizers to your own fields! If…
It is not sufficient for the feed to be non-GMO. That's important, but the feed ALSO must be grown without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. If your feed is marketed as non-GMO, but not certified organic, then it very likely is…
Yes, just be clear on your application about which animals you're wanting to get certified, and which will be excluded from certification. You will need to submit a feed declaration for each type of livestock for which you seek certification,…