What records does an organic handler need, and is there a free template?
An organic handler needs records that follow each product from the supplier to the customer. Kona Organic made a free set of seven logs that covers the core ones. You can print the PDF or type into the Excel file. Kona Organic is a national organic consulting firm that sets up records for processors, packers, and food brands.
Download the templates
Key takeaways
The set has seven logs: supplier certificates, receiving, production, cleaning, pest control, storage, and shipping.
It is free. No email is needed.
One lot number should follow each batch from receiving to shipping.
Keep a current organic certificate on file for every supplier.
Keep organic records for at least five years.
What is in the set
Supplier Certificate Log. Every supplier of organic ingredients, and proof each one is certified.
Receiving Log. What came in the door, and how you checked it.
Production Log. What went into each batch and what came out.
Cleaning Log. Cleaning before organic runs on shared lines and equipment.
Pest Control Log. What you saw, what you did, and what you used.
Storage Log. Where organic product is kept and how it stays separate.
Shipping Log. What went out, to whom, and under which lot number.
Why handlers need these
Your inspector runs two tests every year. In a trace test, the inspector picks a finished product and follows it back to the ingredients and the suppliers. In a mass balance, the inspector checks that the organic ingredients you bought are enough to make the organic product you sold. Both tests are done from your records. If the logs connect, the tests are quick.
How to use them
Start with receiving. Give each delivery or batch a lot number and write that number on every log that touches it. Check supplier certificates when they are due, not the week before inspection. Fill in the cleaning log every time a shared line switches to organic.
Do these replace my certifier's forms?
No. These are general logs. Your certifier may have its own forms or ask for more, such as recipes, product profiles, or label approvals. Ask what it needs, then use these to fill the gaps.
Who can help set up records
Kona Organic fits the logs to your plant, matches them to your Organic System Plan, and runs a practice trace and mass balance before your inspection.
Kona Organic is a national organic certification consulting firm, headquartered in Hawaiʻi. The team works with farms, handlers, and food brands in all 50 states and US territories, on site or remotely, and with exporters overseas.
Common questions
Are the templates really free?
Yes. Download them and use them as much as you like.
What is a lot number?
A code you give each delivery or batch so it can be followed through receiving, production, storage, and shipping.
How often do I check supplier certificates?
At least once a year, and any time a supplier adds a product you buy.
Is there a set for farms?
Yes. Kona Organic also has free record keeping templates for organic farms on its articles page.
Last updated: October 2026.
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