OUR MISSION
FLORIDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC GROWERS AND CONSUMERS, INC. (FOG) SUPPORTS AND PROMOTES ORGANIC, REGENERATIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE.

Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers Inc. (FOG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation established in 1987. FOG operates two programs: Education & Outreach and Quality Certification Services.  Please click here for a fact sheet and here for our new info card.

FOG began as a grassroots organization, with the office located at various times in someone’s kitchen or an unused corner of a barn. The Organic Food Production Act of 1990 required that the USDA develop national standards for organic products, and FOG was heavily involved in the development of the National Organic Program regulations governing organics. The National Organic Program Final Rule was published in the Federal Register in 2000. FOG continues to be very active in policy, including continuing development of the NOP standards, food safety and genetically modified food. FOG is also active in developing and implementing Farm Bill programs.

QCS is the certification body of Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers Inc., a nonprofit organization that began certifying organic growers in 1987 and received its USDA accreditation in 2001.QCS is a USDA, COR, EU and ANAB ISO/IEC 17065 accredited certification body that offers a wide array of certification options for farming of crops, livestock, aquaculture, animal feed manufacturing, packing, handling and processing and wild harvest operations.
 

We’re proud of our diverse clients and services, but we’re most proud to offer affordable certification and an unwavering commitment to customer service.

As an industry leader with more than 30 years of experience in certification, QCS has clients in 39 states and 20 countries, meeting the needs of farming operations regardless of type, location, or size in the ever-expanding worldwide market.

Our staff includes food and agricultural scientists, educators, and regulators, all highly trained in US & international organic and food safety standards. While our home office is in Florida, QCS has full-time staff inspectors in Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Maryland.  We also have subsidiary offices in Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. We also have multilingual staff available to assist our international clients.

Our mission is to provide a variety of quality certification/verification options that promote sustainability as well as enhance global market access from seed to shelf through partnerships, innovations and technology.

We educate producers, consumers, media, institutions and governments about the benefits of organic and sustainable agriculture, presenting at tours, conferences, workshops, classes and other educational opportunities. Topics include but not limited to organic and sustainable farming practices, local food systems, Farm Bill opportunities, certification options, marketing, social justice and opportunities and challenges in the organic marketplace.