CCA Organic Production Specialist
Be the expert your organic customers need.
What is the CCA organic specialization?
As the organic sector continues its 7% annual growth, growers are facing increasingly complex regulatory and agronomic hurdles. This specialty—the first organic certification for crop advisers—is designed to give you the specific expertise needed to lead in this high-demand market.
Key knowledge areas:
Regulatory compliance: Certification, inspection, and rigorous record-keeping.
Inputs and safety: Expert management of allowed substances and post-harvest food safety.
Advanced agronomics: Organic-specific strategies for fertility, irrigation, and integrated pest/weed management.
To learn more about organic agriculture, read this article in Crops & Soils magazine:
What is CCA certification?
The Organic Production Specialist is a specialty certification. To qualify, you must first hold an active Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) credential.
Why earn an organic specialty?
- Stay on the cutting edge. As organic production changes, you will be exposed to the latest techniques and practices.
- Advance your career. Open doors to new roles, responsibilities, and leadership opportunities.
Be their expert. Staying on top of regulations is a challenge for the producer, but it can be an opportunity for you to stand out.
"There is a need for CCAs to understand the organic regulatory framework as it pertains to the USDA, third-party certifiers, and allowed inputs... in order to maintain USDA certification of the farm."
Karl Wyant
Director of Agronomy
Nutrien
"Currently, it’s hard to pinpoint what someone knows about organic production... CCAs who complete the certification will have a good base of knowledge, so they can ask the right questions and know where to look for the answers."
Charlotte Decock
Assistant Professor,
California Polytechnic State University
"If a mistake is made adding a prohibited product on organic acres, producers can lose their organic certification, three years of production, and possibly face stiff penalties."
Matthew Grieshop
Director
Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research
About this exam
Candidates are tested on their ability to navigate these specific performance objectives:
- USDA National Organic Program Regulations
- Certification, Inspection, and Record Keeping
- Organic Fertility Management
- Organic Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Organic Weed Management
- Organic Pest Bacteria and Fungi Management
- Organic Invertebrate and Vertebrate Pest Management
- Organic Irrigation Management
- Organic Post-Harvest Handling and Food Safety
- Allowed and Prohibited Substances (Inputs
As with all CCA testing, the organic specialty exams are only offered at specific times of year. Exams are able to be taken remotely.
