PCO PCO Record Keeping & Traceability 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of a required input record for a certified organic crop operation?
- A receipt for the purchase of an approved organic fertilizer (Correct answer)
- A record of the operator's personal annual income
- A copy of the certifying agent's marketing materials
- A neighbor's conventional pesticide application log
Correct answer: A receipt for the purchase of an approved organic fertilizer
Input records, including receipts for approved fertilizers and materials, are required to demonstrate that only allowed substances were used.
Question 2: What should an organic inspector focus on when reviewing an operation's sales records?
- That the volume of product sold as organic is consistent with production records (Correct answer)
- That the operator has properly filed all state sales tax returns
- That the organic price premium charged is at least 20% above conventional
- That all sales were made directly to end consumers
Correct answer: That the volume of product sold as organic is consistent with production records
Sales records must be reconciled with production records to detect potential fraud or commingling of organic and non-organic products.
Question 3: An operator's organic certificate must be updated when:
- The operator hires a new seasonal employee
- New fields, products, or handling activities are added to the operation (Correct answer)
- The operator's business phone number changes
- The operator attends an organic farming educational conference
Correct answer: New fields, products, or handling activities are added to the operation
Any addition of fields, new crops, or new handling activities requires the operator to update their OSP and obtain a revised certificate.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a field history record in the organic certification process?
- To document crop yields for federal crop insurance purposes
- To demonstrate that no prohibited substances were applied during the 3-year transition period (Correct answer)
- To track equipment depreciation for tax accounting
- To record planting dates for agricultural subsidy eligibility
Correct answer: To demonstrate that no prohibited substances were applied during the 3-year transition period
Field history records prove that land has been free of prohibited substances for at least 3 years prior to the first organic harvest.
Question 5: When reviewing an organic handler's records, what is the purpose of 'lot identification'?
- Assigning employee ID numbers for payroll processing
- Tracking specific batches of organic product through the supply chain (Correct answer)
- Sequentially numbering invoices for accounting reconciliation
- Labeling and numbering physical storage facilities
Correct answer: Tracking specific batches of organic product through the supply chain
Lot identification enables specific batches of organic product to be traced through the entire handling and distribution chain.
Question 6: Which section of the Code of Federal Regulations primarily governs record-keeping requirements for certified organic operations?
- 7 CFR Part 205.100
- 7 CFR Part 205.103 (Correct answer)
- 7 CFR Part 205.200
- 7 CFR Part 205.400
Correct answer: 7 CFR Part 205.103
7 CFR Part 205.103 specifically addresses the record-keeping requirements for certified organic operations under the USDA NOP.
PCO PCO Record Keeping & Traceability 2
Which of the following is an example of a required input record for a certified organic crop operation?