Become an Organic Inspector: OEFFA COrE Training

If you have a background in agriculture and are looking to grow your career in the organic movement, consider becoming an inspector of organic farms and businesses.

Inspectors visit organic farms and facilities to verify compliance with the organic regulations. After the in-person inspection, the inspector writes a detailed report describing their observations and any concerns. As independent contractors, inspectors determine their own workload and schedules. Some inspect as a full-time career, but many inspect part-time to supplement other income.

COrE (Certified Organic Evaluation) is a virtual, self-paced, 50-hour organic inspector training program offered by OEFFA. Through COrE, you can earn your certificate of qualification in both crop and livestock scopes. If you can commit to one hour of live training each week, no other time off work is required. All coursework is completed online, on your own schedule, so there’s no travel involved.

Your Certificate of Qualification

Completing COrE earns you more than a credential—it gives hiring agencies confidence.

Your certificate documents that you meet the requisite background in farming that certification agencies look for, and that you’ve completed the initial 50 hours of training required by USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards before performing inspections independently. For an agency deciding whether to bring you on staff, your COrE certificate is evidence that hiring you helps keep them in compliance with these NOP requirements.

Pricing

How to Apply

How it Works

1. Accept your offer and pay.
   Once you’re offered and have accepted your seat in the classroom, you’ll receive a link to our secure payment page.
2. Help set the weekly training time.
   Before the live sessions begin, we’ll poll the whole group for availability and use it to set the weekly time that works best for everyone.
3. Get classroom access.
   After payment, you’ll receive instructions for joining our Google Classroom with a unique class code.
4. Complete your coursework.
   From there, you’ll work through assigned coursework—drawn from our own COrE training modules as well as selected modules from the USDA’s Organic Integrity Learning Center.

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Questions? Contact adam@oeffa.org or (614) 725-3162.