When it comes to agriculture, the definition of “Certified Organic” can be contentious. Farmers, lobbyists, activists, PR firms, etc. have different standards and stakes in a growing multi-billion dollar per year industry. The non-profit Organic Materials Review Institute has been helping to formally define “organic” since 1997, years before the industry took off and our government got involved.
If an input (like a fertilizer or pesticide) appears on OMRI’s Products List, then it is approved for use on certifiable organic cash crops. Sounds great if you’re in the business of making organic nutrients or pesticides… but it’s not easy to get on the list. To do so, a product must pass OMRI’s expert reviews which are technical, scientific, and political. There are multiple levels of review by representatives from all facets of the industry. Point being, if a product earns the OMRI stamp of approval, you can be confident in its organic integrity. Gardening with OMRI listed products can help ensure that what you grow is truly as “organic” as it can possibly be. Find out more at omri.org which includes a very cool and useful search function that lets you surf the OMRI Products and Materials Lists. Got a nutrient or chemical and want to know if you can use it on an organic crop? Looking for organic products? Check the OMRI lists.
Here are a few high quality OMRI listed products…
Pushing your plants? Colorado based Supreme Growers offer numerous products to ensure that they excel. Soil Blast is a “biological supercharger..formulated for high performance gardens”. If you garden with beneficial microbes, do yourself a favor and look into Supreme. They also offer products for hydroponics.
Biobizz offers a complete line of nutrients for organic gardens and “is fully dedicated to researching, developing, manufacturing, and marketing organic gardening products that have a positive impact on our society and ultimately the world we live in.”
Synergy is an excellent biocatylyst…”an organic supplement comprised of fermented seaweed and plant extracts to enhance nutrient uptake and plant vigor”.
Sugaree from Cutting Edge Solutions “provides an organic carbohydrate and electrolyte source to stimulate amino acid production and..it’s specially designed organic formulation targets increases in fruit set, retention, and sugar production”