Our entire operation, vineyard and winery production is Certified Organic by CCOF (California Certified Organic Growers) and has been since 1986. Before that the Organic process was our choice from the beginning and for me as far back as 1969. Before CCOF Certification farmers and producers would make claims to their consumers as to their organic methods of production and personal integrity was its basis.
Now with a National Organic Standard facilitated by the USDA NOP the word Organic cannot be mentioned or referred to on labels or product literature without certification by USDA accredited independent organizations like CCOF. CCOF is the largest and one of the oldest in the country and we have been with them for almost 25 years. That consistency has gained us ‘Master Organic Farmer’ status with CCOF.
Organic Certification is not easy to obtain or maintain. As a matter of fact the costs are increasing annually as well as the transparent accounting and paperwork required. In our small and focused wine grape operation I wonder if its worth all the effort. But without that certification we cannot take credit on our labels for what we’ve been doing for 35 years here in Fair Play. And believe you me, the consumer cannot trust for a minute the hollow claims by growers stated their organic practices because they are free to do and use whatever they want with no disclosure to the public or an independent inspector. So guess what? They will do whatever they want whenever they want. Here at Fitzpatrick’s we proved every year by earning our CCOF Organic Certification that we are the real thing. Your health, Mother Earth’s health and our vineyard’s health and our surroundings are a constant commitment that we live by.
That’s not to say we don’t have issues and differences with CCOF and the USDA. They’re not God, nor are they infallible. They’re neo-bureaucrats and big-time bureaucrats that need constant scrutiny because they both can easily run amuck with agendas that may stray from supporting the very farmers that produce the Organic food. The rules need to be updated and clarified as situations present themselves and to some degree they are. The entire world and their respective governments are dealing with the Organic food movement and for those of us who have been around for awhile, we’ve come a long way baby.
Learn how we farm our grapes organically.
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The organic methods go beyond the vineyard into the winery too.
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Want more info about CCOF
(www.ccof.org)
