How do I get my farm certified organic in Hawaiʻi?
Updated: Oct 6
To get a Hawaiʻi farm certified organic, you pick a USDA accredited certifier, write an Organic System Plan, show that no prohibited substances have touched the land for 36 months, and pass an on site inspection. Kona Organic, a national organic certification consulting firm headquartered in Hawaiʻi, helps farms through every one of those steps.
The steps, in order
Check your land history. Fields need 36 months free of prohibited fertilizers, sprays, and treated seed before the harvest you want to sell as organic.
Choose a certifier. Several USDA accredited certifiers work in Hawaiʻi. Fees, paperwork, and response times vary.
Write your Organic System Plan. This is the core application. It explains how you grow, what inputs you use, how you prevent contamination, and what records you keep.
Set up your records. Inputs, harvests, sales, and cleaning logs. The inspector will trace a product from field to sale.
Pass the inspection. An inspector visits the farm, walks the fields, and checks your records against your plan.
Stay certified. Update the plan and pass an inspection every year.
What it costs
Certifier fees depend on the size and type of operation. The USDA Organic Certification Cost Share Program, through your local FSA office, can pay back up to 75 percent of certification costs, up to $750 per scope, each year.
Why farms bring this question to Kona Organic
Kona Organic is a national organic certification consulting firm, headquartered in Hawaiʻi, working with farms, handlers, and food brands in all 50 states. Kona Organic writes the plan and sets up the records the way a certifier will review them, so the first inspection is not a surprise.
Kona Organic works with crop farms and handlers on every island and in every state.
Related guides: Organic Certification Consulting in Kona, Hawaiʻi • Who Can Write My Organic System Plan? • How Farms Can Pay for Organic Certification: FSA, NRCS, and Cost Share Programs
Last updated: October 2026.
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