5 replies to this topic

[Orion_sqf]

Hello! 

The company that I work for has already been certified with SQF, but now they want to have several facilities to be organic manufacturing. Our company is mainly doing breadcrumbs and the consultant we have for Organic is telling us that we need to have a completely separate Paperwork for Organic even though we plan to run non-organic products after it. I saw another commentor on another post, state that they just had a section at the top of the paperwork to specific if the production is Organic or Non-organic. I see the arguments for both sides but I'm not sure if that is necessary. This was not expressly explained at the beginning of the process. 

 

Our organic certification is right around the corner on the 02/19. 

 

Please any advice is welcome! 

[Scampi]

It really doesn't matter what you think (sorry) but what is demanded by the CB and the scheme

so if they tell you that's what's required, then there are 2 options, do it that way or forgo altogether

 

you betcha you need CLEAR and sometimes separate paperwork for organic

 

you also need to use organic approved detergents and sanitizers

 

 

you need to mass balance inbound organic materials against outbound finished goods (which is very different than a trace)

 

it will also be a separate audit on a separate date

Edited by Scampi, Yesterday, 06:49 PM.

[SQFconsultant]

Your consultant is correct.

 

And I may add, with your 2/19 date being in 15 days I suggest  you push that off or be prepared to work non-stop - I suggest pushing the date into March.

[Orion_sqf]

It really doesn't matter what you think (sorry) but what is demanded by the CB and the scheme

so if they tell you that's what's required, then there are 2 options, do it that way or forgo altogether

 

you betcha you need CLEAR and sometimes separate paperwork for organic

 

you also need to use organic approved detergents and sanitizers

 

 

you need to mass balance inbound organic materials against outbound finished goods (which is very different than a trace)

 

it will also be a separate audit on a separate date

 

Thank you for your insight! 

 

Would you be able to elaborate on what the differences are with the mass inbound organic materials against outbound finished goods and a product trace?

 

Also I don't know what the CB's standard is and only going off of the consultant's advice, which makes me wonder due to the fact that, from my understanding, the Organic Program wants to make absolutely sure that a facility can safeguard the integrity of the product and is able to track said product. But as you said it's probably best to follow the consultant's advice.     

 

We already have the organic approved detergents and sanitizers, Organic pesticides, and the separation of utensils/tools/bins.... We are really just at the home stretch of getting approved. 

[Orion_sqf]

Your consultant is correct.

 

And I may add, with your 2/19 date being in 15 days I suggest  you push that off or be prepared to work non-stop - I suggest pushing the date into March.

 

Thank you for your insight!

I would love to push this date further down the road, unfortunately that's not an option due to personnel and timelines for our customers. 

Now that I know this is the expectation, I think it would be easier as I still have the SQF framework to go off of versus making all the paperwork from scratch. I'm highly optimistic that we will be good for this audit.  

[GMO]

Also I don't know what the CB's standard is and only going off of the consultant's advice, which makes me wonder due to the fact that, from my understanding, the Organic Program wants to make absolutely sure that a facility can safeguard the integrity of the product and is able to track said product. But as you said it's probably best to follow the consultant's advice.     

 

 

You cannot go into an audit without having seen the standard. 

Get it today. Then you can see what it is you're working to. Otherwise it will be painful.

 

I'd also recommend delaying if you could but if that's not an option, make your manager / site director aware of the risk. Better to be up front that this is very late in the day than have a disastrous audit later without warning. I hope for you it will be fine but I am sorry to say that not having seen the standard 2 weeks away from audit is not setting you guys up for success.