What is Organic?

As a grower/packer of organics, Stemilt must achieve organic certification in both our orchards and packing facilities. The following is an overview of what it takes to be organic:

In the Orchards

• Farmers must eliminate use of synthetic pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers for at least three growing seasons in order for fruit to be considered for organic certification. This is known as the transitional period.
• Like other growers, organic farmers must keep detailed records of the materials they use within their orchards.
• Only naturall fertilizers (manure, compost, bone meal, fish meal, etc.) and approved organic applications can be used for maintaining soil fertility in organic farming.
• Organic farmers make use of beneficial insects, pheromone traps, and other natural growing methods in order to keep pest populations under control.
• Weeds are controlled by cover crops, mulching and mechanical methods rather than herbicides. If farming near a conventional orchard, the farmer must establish a buffer zone in order to achieve organic certification.

Packing Facilities

• On the packing side, the facility must be certified to pack organic fruit by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or state agency. Stemilt packing facilities are certified organic on an annual basis, following a thorough inspection by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
• All packing equipment (brushes, belts, etc.) must be cleaned and sanitized before organic fruit can be packed on the same line that conventional fruit was packed.
• If any applications are applied to the fruit, they must be certified as organic. At this time, we do not apply any applications to organic fruit during packing.
• All organic fruit is stickered with Stemilt’s Artisan Organics label, while additional packaging may bear the USDA certified organic seal (including the carton the fruit is shipped in). This informs the consumer that the fruit is indeed organic.