PCO is honored to lead the Mid Atlantic / Northeast region of Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). We are eager to develop partnerships that will support existing and transitioning organic farmers across the country. Read more about this 5 year partnership here! #organicfarming #supportingfarmers #usda https://lnkd.in/eYsEeQ2M
Pennsylvania Certified Organic
Farming
Spring Mills, Pennsylvania 716 followers
We uphold and advance organic principles and practices through certification, advocacy, and technical support.
About us
PENNSYLVANIA CERTIFIED ORGANIC is a nonprofit, USDA-accredited organic certifying agency that educates and certifies growers, processors and handlers of organic crops, wild crops, livestock and livestock products in the contiguous United States. PCO’S VISION: A world where agriculture systems prioritize health, ecological balance, fairness and care. PCO'S MISSION: To uphold and advance organic principles and practices through certification, advocacy, and technical support. PCO’S CORE VALUES: Our core values serve as a guide for how PCO works and makes decisions every day. Through our Core Values we recognize the interdependent relationships between all our stakeholders: certified clients, supporters and members, PCO staff and contractors, partner organizations, and the community and environment. We keep people at the center of every action, interaction, and decision. We do this by: -Caring intensely about our stakeholders and their ability to succeed -Showing deep respect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live -Listening well and seeking to understand before reacting -Being empowered to provide proactive solutions -Communicating in a clear and timely manner We promote restorative practices that improve the world for future generations. We do this by: -Providing sensible enforcement and understanding how that impacts people, the environment, and the organic industry -Creating a network of support by connecting stakeholders to resources -Being an advocate for PCO and the industry – building trust in organics from the inside out Embrace transparency and integrity in all our work. We do this by: -Embracing humility, owning mistakes, and honoring commitments -Actively welcoming and giving constructive feedback -Fostering a participatory workplace through inclusive discussion and decision making At PCO we strive to promote a work culture that promotes caring, purpose, and results.
- Website
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http://www.paorganic.org
External link for Pennsylvania Certified Organic
- Industry
- Farming
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Spring Mills, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1997
- Specialties
- organic certification, organic agriculture, regenerative agriculture, agro ecological practices, and organic education
Locations
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Get directions
106 SCHOOL ST
Spring Mills, Pennsylvania 16875, US
Employees at Pennsylvania Certified Organic
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Joe Dickson
Seasoned Leader in Retail & CPG Sustainability, ESG, Agricultural Policy and Communications
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Diana Kobus
Organic Integrity for People and the Planet! It's my great honor to lead the incredible team at PCO as Executive Director.
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Heather Donald
Senior Certification Specialist at USDA/Pennsylvania Certified Organic
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Raymond H. Yang
Organic Inspector and Consultant
Updates
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⏰ Event Alert! ⏰ Date: August 20th, 2024 Time: 9AM - 12PM Address: 817 PA 97, Waterford, PA 16441 Come learn about the growing market for organic potatoes and contract growing opportunities with Folkland Organic French Fries! Discussion topics to include potato production, pest/disease management, budgeting, and markets. This event is funded through TOPP: The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) is a new USDA initiative that will invest up to $100 million over five years to provide education, technical assistance, and support to help producers transition to organic. The goal of this initiative is to help grow the organic sector. Learn more and register at this link: https://lnkd.in/eiypXAWq
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Pennsylvania Certified Organic reposted this
More job openings in the organic agriculture sector! Check it out, and pass it on. Pennsylvania Certified Organic is looking for: • Accounting and grant manager • Certification specialist (apply by June 25) • Sales and marketing director • Contract organic inspectors. Most of these opportunities are fully remote; some require travel. All of them foster a more resilient food system. #Organic #climatesmartagriculture #conservation #organicfarming #ResilientFoodSystems #organicjobs #agjobs https://lnkd.in/grC_qv-k
Openings - PCO
https://paorganic.org
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🌱 Join our growing team as a Sales & Marketing Director at PCO! 🌱 Do you have a proven track record of developing strong client relationships and building sales? We're currently seeking a dynamic person for our Sales & Marketing Director position! This opening is due to company growth and is a key member of the PCO Leadership Team reporting to the Executive Director. As the Sales & Marketing Director you will be responsible for seeking new member certification opportunities, as well as developing relationships with current and prospective clients. You will target and meet sales goals to support the overall growth of the organization while staying within the budget you participated in creating and managing. You will also manage/oversee the promotion of the company’s products and services to new and existing customers through our website, social media, e-news, and Organic Matters publications. Lastly, you will develop strong relationships with organic processors and handlers while collaborating with PCO staff to support these groups. This is a full-time, exempt, remote telecommuting position with regular travel in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. For salary range, benefits, and the full job description, please visit our website: paorganic.org/openings #organic #farming #agriculture #sustainability #organicfood #organicisgrowing
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🌱 Join our growing team as a Certification Specialist at PCO! 🌱 Passionate about fostering a culture of growth and sustainability? We're currently seeking a dynamic, detail-oriented person for our Certification Specialist position. The Certification Specialist is responsible for providing excellent customer service as they review organic files and determine compliance status according to the National Organic Program’s regulations. Experience with processor/handler/food manufacturers is preferred! We’ll be reviewing applications as they are submitted and we encourage interested parties to submit applications as soon as possible. Priority will be given to applications received by June 25th, 2024 and the position will remain open until filled. This is a full-time, exempt, remote telecommuting position. For salary range, benefits, and the full job description, please visit our website: paorganic.org/openings #organic #farming #agriculture #sustainability #organicfood #organicisgrowing
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🌱 Join our growing team as an Accounting & Grants Manager at PCO! 🌱 Passionate about fostering a culture of growth and sustainability? We're currently seeking a dynamic person for our Accounting & Grants Manager position. The AGM will have responsibility for general financial management including accounts payables, budgetary support, and month-end close, as well as primary oversight of federal funds, including a large multi-year cooperative agreement. The person in this role will also have excellent communication skills and collaborate across departments and at all levels of the organization to facilitate the work of the finance team. This is a full-time, exempt, remote telecommuting position. For salary range, benefits, and the full job descriptions, please visit our website: paorganic.org/openings
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🏆We couldn’t ask for better family farm advocates than Hayley Painter and Stephanie Painter, and PCO is equally as proud to be your chosen partner in certification! 🌱 🐮 #goOrganic #USDAorganic 🎉
We had an amazing time at Organic Week, hosted by the Organic Trade Association! 🌱✨ It was a fantastic opportunity to share our story and connect with so many wonderful people passionate about organic living. As proud PCO Organic Farmers, we are thrilled to spread our Pennsylvania Preferred yummy yogurt. Here's to growing the organic movement together, one spoonful at a time!
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🌱PCO is honored to work with your outstanding team! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 #goOrganic!
Chief Change Agent at Eat the Change, Co-Founder at PLNT Burger, Chair of the Board at Beyond Meat
Two years ago today I participated in a conference call with senior managers at Coca-Cola who informed me that while Honest Kids was thriving, Honest Tea, which had supply chain disruptions during the pandemic, would be discontinued by the end of 2022. The extended Honest Tea family & I were shocked & saddened. It wasn’t just the letdown from all the years of brand-building. We thought about the economic impact on the amazing supplier communities who would be losing a major customer. On top of that, we thought of the millions of loyal Honest Tea consumers who were going to lose “a delightful companion who provides a much-needed burst of refreshment & energy,” as one put it. If Honest Tea were still on the market, we would never have launched Just Ice Tea, but once it was announced that Honest was going to disappear, we realized there would be a huge market vacancy. The opportunity became even more compelling when it was announced a few weeks later that Tazo, the second-largest bottled brand in the natural segment, was also going to be discontinued. Since my team & I helped establish the category when we launched Honest Tea out of my house in 1998, we were able to mobilize quickly, and launch Just Ice Tea by September 6, 2022. Here’s what’s happened since then: · We’ve sold over 19 million bottles and cans of Just Ice Tea · We’ve purchased 1,465,287 pounds of organic ingredients · We’ve donated over $123,000 in Fair Trade USA premiums to supplier communities in Mozambique, India, China, Egypt, Mexico & Brazil. These premiums, which are administered by Worker’s Councils, have helped fund access to clean drinking water, education & health services. And there’s more growth and impact ahead. Today we are launching a campaign in partnership with Rotary International to build a health clinic in the village that is home to our largest tea supplier. Cha De Magoma is located in Zambezia Province in Mozambique, one of the poorest provinces in one of the world’s poorest countries. Due to the prevalence of malaria, cholera, AIDS, & lack of access to modern healthcare, the average life expectancy in Zambezia Province is 54.6 years old. A health clinic that can diagnose & treat some of these illnesses has the potential to powerfully improve the quality & longevity of the 10,000 villagers who live in & around Cha De Magoma. Through our Fair Trade USA premiums, we expect Just Ice Tea to donate over $50,000 toward this project, & we will be working with Rotary & other organizations to raise an additional $100,000. Our theme for this year is “Let Just Ice Tea Be Served”: -Just Ice for the planet because of our commitment to organic agriculture -Just Ice for the consumer via our Just Sweet Enough/unsweetened taste & nutritional profile -Just Ice for the workers in the supply chain as a result of our Fair Trade commitments. A lot has happened in the two years since that fateful call, but we know there is so much more Just Ice Tea to be served.
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Pennsylvania Certified Organic reposted this
We are still on a high from our participation at Organic Week hosted by the Organic Trade Association and its research arm, the Organic Forum. From May 14 to 16, the annual gathering brought many executives from organic companies, certifying agencies and policy advocates to the table. This is our second year attending the the organic-intensive conference and in one year, we saw that change is here. We made history when we were told that it had been the most diverse conference yet. More importantly, we were there to effect change rather than just be a space to fill. The conversations were engaging---we participated in an all-Black woman's panel; we asked a plethora of questions; provided possible strategies to really diversity organic; and we experienced some of the most incredible engagements around elevating the organic industry that we know have moved the needle to progress. HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS ▶7 people represented Black Farmers Index including 4 farmers (Dr Dana Nettles PharmD, RPh, Nicholas Victorian, Stephanie Miller and Christa Barfield) ▶We participated in Advocacy Day on The Hill to push more organic support in the Farm Bill ▶We received an invitation from Sen. Cory Booker to visit New Jersey farms ▶Our president, Kaia Shivers sat on an all-Black women panel talking about the next generation of farmers ▶Dr. Dana Nettles of Alabama was recognized for receiving her organic certification ▶ USDA Sec’y Tom Vilsack mentioned Jubilee Justice’s organic rice growing operation in Louisiana ▶We participated in the Cliff Bar 5k run ▶We learned about critical issues such as soil health and nutrition density ▶We were part of conversations during a time where regenerative farming is being folded into the conversation of organic. ▶We learned about the challenges of the organic economy. Many still wonder if diversity and inclusion can make change. In the right hands, and with the right folk, it can move mountains. This is exactly what we experienced last week at Organic Week. In our work with the Organic Trade Association, and specifically with the diversity and entrepreneurship program created and ran by Stephanie Jerger is the reason why we are at Organic Week in the first place. Moreover, our growing work with Accredited Certifiers Association, Pennsylvania Certified Organic, Florida Organic Growers, and the multitude of Black growing collectives and folk who work in agriculture have been at the center of us expanding and moving forward. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing our experiences and information as it is so much to take in and pass along.
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Join Northeast/MidAtlantic Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) Core Partner, NOFA New Hampshire, this Thursday, 5/16 at 6:30 pm EST for the monthly Farmers Organic Roundtable. Participants typically include multi-state participants. Bring your questions for discussion and resource sharing! RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/eVyDnYZ8 #usdaorganictransition #certifiedorganic #usdagov #usdaorganic
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