FEE SCHEDULE
FEE SCHEDULE DEFINITIONS

Once GOCA receives the completed application and organic system plan packets and performs the initial administrative review, GOCA will send the applicant an Inspection / Certification Quotation and the Inspection Services Agreement with the total due for the inspection. The Inspection / Certification Quotation includes a breakdown of the inspection fees due and the estimated cost of the annual fixed rate certification services fee. Prior to scheduling the on-site inspection, the applicant is required to sign and return the Inspection Services Agreement to GOCA and to pay the amount quoted for the inspection. The applicant is not required to pay the estimated cost of the annual fixed rate certification services fee at this time.

GOCA will complete the final certification review of the application and inspection documents and will determine if the applicant complies or may be able to comply with the National Organic Program standards. GOCA will send any conditions for certification and a Certification Services Contract for the applicant's review and approval. If the applicant decides to continue the certification process, the applicant will address the conditions for certification in writing, sign the Certification Services Agreement and include the payment of the annual fixed rate certification services fee.

To see how GOCA calculates annual pricing, please refer to the Certification Fee Schedule that corresponds to your operation(s). To see how GOCA calculates inspection pricing, please refer to the Inspection Fee Schedule and calculate the costs for your area.

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR ANNUAL FIXED RATE CERTIFICATION SERVICE FEE:
EXAMPLE:

An organic farmer (the "Principal Applicant") with 80 acres of watermelons would pay a fixed $1,500.00 annual Certification Service Fee. This fee includes one principal location and one principal product. And the Principal Applicant decides to contract with a neighboring organic farmer to produce another 80 acres consisting of three melon varieties and one tomato variety. One organic system plan is used to produce the melons and another organic system plan is used to produce the tomato. The Sub-Applicant would pay a fixed $750.00 annual Certification Services Fee. This would include a principal crop and any other crops that are produced with the same organic system plan, the 3 melon varieties. An additional $50.00 would be charged for the certification of the additional organic system plan, the tomatoes. The total fixed annual certification services fee for the certification of the Principal Applicant’s and the Sub-Applicant’s production would be $2300.00.

FEE SCHEDULE DEFINITIONS

The following are definitions of terms used in the Certification Fee Schedule and Inspection Fee Schedule.

PRODUCER: Either a Principal Applicant (individual, company or grower group) or a Sub-Applicant (individual, company or grower group).
ACRES: The total amount of land in organic commodity production.
UNITS: The total amount of packages or units that a processor or handler will market annually.
ANNUAL CERTIFICATION SERVICE FEE: The annual flat organic certification service fee for the Applicant’s or Sub-Applicant’s first year and each subsequent year of organic certification. This fee includes one primary location and one primary crop/product/livestock species.
ADDITIONAL SITE: Any non-contiguous production site. For each additional site, GOCA applies an additional flat rate fee for inspection and for certification.
ADDITIONAL PRODUCT: Any product produced, processed or handled other than the primary product. For each additional product that is produced, processed or handled under an organic system plan different from the one used for primary product, GOCA applies an additional flat rate fee for certification.
CLUSTER or GROWER GROUP: Organic production groups, production management companies, co-ops, ejidos, kibbutz or other forms of collective ventures, where the group is the Principal or Sub-Applicant. You may read Cluster or Group Policy to review the requirements for qualifying as a cluster or group.

ADDITIONAL FEES

INSPECTION FEES: The inspection is a flat fee. Please see the Inspection Fee Schedule to calculate the inspection fees for your area.
REINSTATEMENT FEES: GOCA charges $100.00 per operation if certification suspension occurs due to delinquent payment or delinquent paperwork and is later reinstated.

Guaranteed Organic Certification Agency
reserves the right to change rates when necessary to
negotiate volume discounts or for promotions.

To calculate the cost of your inspection and certification

Inspection and Certification Fee Schedule