Is there a free worksheet for the organic trace test and mass balance?
Yes. Kona Organic, a national organic consulting firm, gives away a two page worksheet. Page one walks one sale backward to the field or the supplier. Page two does the mass balance math for one product. It is a free PDF with no email needed.
Key takeaways
Every organic inspection includes a trace test and a mass balance.
You can run both yourself in about an hour.
A trace follows one lot number from sale to source.
A mass balance checks that total in matches total out.
Fix the gaps you find before inspection day.
What is in the worksheet
Trace Test Worksheet. Four steps: the sale, storage and packing, harvest or purchase, and the field or the supplier. It ends with three boxes to tick.
Mass Balance Worksheet. Lines A to J for what came in and what went out, one check line, and what the answer means.
How to run a trace
Pick one sale from last month. Write down the lot number on the invoice. Find that same lot on your storage record and your harvest log or purchase receipt. Then find the seed and input records for that field, or the supplier's certificate for that date.
How to run a mass balance
Pick one product and one season. Add what you had at the start, what you harvested, and what you bought. Then add what you sold, used, lost, and still have. The two totals should be close.
What to do with the gaps
A missing lot number or a loss you never wrote down is easy to fix now and hard to explain later. Add the missing column to your log and start using it this week.
Who can help
Kona Organic runs a practice trace and mass balance with you, fixes the weak spots in your records, and sets up lot numbers that hold.
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
How close do the totals have to be?
There is no set number. You should be able to explain any gap.
Which product should I pick?
Pick your biggest seller, or the one with the most steps.
Do handlers do this too?
Yes. For handlers it runs from ingredients received to finished product shipped.
How often should I run it?
Once before each inspection, and any time your records change.
Last updated: October 2026.
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