FAQ Series: "The Certification Determination Letter"
What is this "Certification Determination" letter I got from MOSA? Frequently Asked Questions Series
Q. I received a letter from MOSA called "Certification Determination"; what's this about?
A. Receiving a Certification Determination letter means that a MOSA Certification Specialist is reviewing part or all of your organic operation and has a decision for you OR needs more information from you to make a decision.
Q. What should I do with this letter?
A. Open it, read it, and reply to MOSA with any questions or required responses! MOSA letters are like fresh bread—they are best consumed right away and don't improve with age. Many letters request a response within several days, and a lack of response can lead to a follow-up letter and a possible "missed certification deadline fee" as described in the MOSA Fee Schedule. If you didn't understand everything in the letter, don't put it back in the envelope; contact MOSA! We'll happily explain each line of the letter so you understand exactly what you need to know and what, if anything, we need from you to make a certification decision.
Q. What are the different types of Certification Determination letters I might receive from MOSA?
A. Great question! Let's list the main ones here by their current, exact names so you can match these with the letters for your operation.
Annual Certification Determination: Final Review. This is the most common Certification Determination letter, for the fourth and final step of the annual recertification process. The MOSA Certification Specialist completing this final review had sufficient information to make a decision and grant organic certification. Congratulations!
Annual Certification Determination: Pre-Decision Requirements. This is also for the fourth and final step of the annual certification process, but it means that the Certification Specialist conducting this Final Review needs more information about one or more areas of your organic management plan, as listed in the "Additional information needed" of the letter. Be sure to respond by the deadline listed in bold highlighting in the first paragraph—typically within three weeks.
Annual Certification Determination: Final Review Resolution. Phew! This letter means that you previously received a Pre-Decision Requirements letter and then sent MOSA the requested information. The MOSA Certification Specialist reviewing your annual certification application had enough information to complete the Final Review step and grant organic certification to your operation. Nice job!
Certification Determination: Additional Final Review. This Determination letter is not for the annual final review but for an additional final review due to a significant change to your organic operation, like new land, a new scope (such as wild crop or livestock), or new products, that was time-sensitive and could not wait until the next annual certification cycle.
Notice of Noncompliance. This is a serious letter from MOSA requiring your immediate attention. It means that MOSA has found that an area of your operation does not comply with one or more of the National Organic Standards. The letter will identify the concern, the Organic Standard in question, and the details supporting MOSA's understanding of the concern. In the center of the letter, you'll see a direction instructing you regarding what's needed to resolve the concern. If you disagree with MOSA's understanding of the concern, you may submit a detailed rebuttal to the letter. Be sure to respond by the deadline identified in the letter—typically within three weeks. As always, call or write MOSA right away with any questions if you don't fully understand the areas of the letter!
Q. I noticed different section headers in the Certification Determination letters. What do those mean? Do I need to do something right away?
A. You're right that your Certification Determination letter always includes one or more sections, each of which will have at least one numbered observation within it. Every numbered point usually references an Organic Standard in bold highlighting.
These sections are shown in descending priority for maintaining your certification.
Additional information needed. This is the first section within a "Pre-Decision Requirements" letter. The Certification Specialist reviewing your application cannot certify your operation without some important information, as listed within each numbered paragraph. Provide that information to your MOSA reviewer by the date listed—typically within three weeks. Call or write to your reviewer immediately if you do not understand what's requested.
Our request for additional information was addressed. In a Resolution letter, this section replaces the "Additional information needed" section from the previous "Pre-decision requirements" letter, showing that MOSA received the necessary information from you.
Conditions for continued certification. These are concerns about your organic management that are not outright violations of the Organic Standards (known as noncompliances), but they are required improvements that must be tightened up or MOSA won't be able to continue granting organic certification. Each condition lists a future event (such as your next initial review or inspection) when MOSA will make sure that you have strengthened this weak area of your organic operation.
Reminders. These are not concerns requiring changes in your organic management. They are usually observations from the Certification Specialist reviewing your operation about items approved during the review, such as new products, fields, inputs, or labels.
Other comments. These may be complimentary remarks about your organic management or notes regarding upcoming changes to the organic rules that might affect your operation.
Q. Ok, I think I have a better understanding of these Certification Determination letters. This is a lot of information, though, and I'm afraid I'll forget much of it. What do I need to remember?
A. Just one thing! When you receive a letter from MOSA, open it, read it, and reply to MOSA right away with any questions or required responses! The MOSA staff person who wrote the letter will answer your questions or, if they aren't available, MOSA's Client Services Team will gladly assist you.