A - Magnesium Carbonate.
R - Magnesium Chloride. Natural sources only. Discourages
because of high chloride content.
P - Magnesium Oxide.
A - Manures, Animal.Must be aerobically composted,
preferably by turning and keeping moist and warm until well
broken down. Raw manures are considered restricted materials. See
definition of composting under "Compost," and see
Manures, Raw.
R - Manures, Raw. Can be harmful to soil life and cause
unhealthful levels of nitrates in produce and salt buildup in
soils. Can also contain pesticide residues depending)g on what
the animal has been eating. Composting strongly recommended since
it can stabilize the nitrogen content, kill weed seeds, and help
neutralize pesticide residues. See Manures, Animal. Fresh and
"sheet composted" manures are allowed only in MODERATE
amounts and as a supplement to other soil-building practices. It
should be applied when the soil is sufficiently warm (about 50
degrees Fahrenheit) and moist to ensure active microbial
digestion. Please be especially careful when using on crops which
can accumulate nitrates such as leafy greens, radishes and beets.
R - Manure tea. See Manures, Raw. Must be used in
conjuction with other soil building practices.
A - Mechanical and Cultural Controls.
P - Methyl Bromide.
P - Methyl Sulfoxide.
A - Microbial Soil, Compost, Plant & Seed inoculants.
Allowed plant inoculants include Rlizobium bacteria, mycorrhizal
fungi, Azolla, and other microbes. Genetically engineered
organisms or viruses are not allowed. Synthetic preservatives and
fortifications, including sodium sulfites are prohibited in the
final product. The liquid preparations often contain sodium
sulfites. Manufacturers please request more guidelines from CCOF.
R - Micronutrient Sprays. Synthetic sources of
micronutrients are exempted under the site law. Use is allowed
only for a documented or observed need with a plan] to avoid
nutrient imbalances.
A - Mined Minerals. A mined mineral must not have
undergone any change in the molecular structure through heating
or combining with other substances. Some of the minerals which
are mined can also be made synthetically or are by-products of
industry; investigate the source of any new material and write to
the Statewide Office with questions. Acceptable if the material
is lot processed or fortified with synthetic chemicals.
P - Moth Balls and Moth Crystals.
A - Mulches. See restrictions under Plastic Mulch.
R - Muriate of Potash. Mined materials only. Discouraged
because of very high chloride content.
R - Mushroom Compost. May contain substantial pesticide
residues. Use only if documented to be residue-free or it MUST be
composted before use. See Compost for guidelines. Manufacturers
please request guidelines on residue testing from CCOF.
R - Neem Extract, Powder and Seeds.
A - Nematicides. Must be from a natural source.
A - Newspaper. Glossy paper is prohibited.
P - Nicotine. Prohibited because of extreme toxicity.
P - Nitrate of Soda - Potash.
A - Nitrogen Gas .
P - Organophosphates.
A - Oystershell lime.
A - Paper. Glossy paper is prohibited.
R - Parasiticides for Livestock. See §5.7 for specific
restrictions.
A - Peat Moss. Must not contain artificial wetting
agents. Wear a dust mask while working with peat moss as the dust
from it has been shown to sometimes cause lung infections.
A - Perlite.
P - Pesticides, Synthetic.
R - Petroleum Distillates. Dormant and summer oils 'are
'acceptable under state law. Prohibited when used as weed or
carrot oils. Petroleum distillates may also be used as inert
ingredients in certain materials. Certain fractions of petroleum
distillates are known to be toxic to and finding alternatives is
strongly recommended. Use only as a last resort and use with
caution! See Inerts statement at the end of §7.2.2.
P - Petroleum Solvents, Aromatic. These petroleum
fractions are prohibited because they are definite health
hazards.
A - Pb buffers. Must be from a natural source such as
citric acid, or vinegar. Lye 'and sulfuric acid are prohibited.
A - Pheromones. Naturally derived pheromones are
recommended. May not be combined with synthetic pesticides.
A - Phosphate Rock. Must not be fortified or processed
with synthetic chemicals.
P - Phosphoric Acid, Synthetic.
P - Piperonyl Butoxide. Although this material is derived
from a plant source originally, it has gone through a substantial
molecular change in its extraction 'and processing. The
California Department of Health Services has ruled that it must
not be used on food which is labeled organic. Check the labels on
botanicals to make sure this is not in the product.
A - Plant Extracts. Allowed unless otherwise specifically
restricted or prohibited.
A - Plant Protectants, Natural.
P - Plant Protectants, Synthetic.
A - Plants. Includes plant preparations, extracts, parts,
and teas. Parts of Plants which have specific uses in pest
control or fertility such as marigolds, sesame chaff and
equisetum (horsetails) are permitted.
P - Plastic Feed Pellets. For livestock.
R - Plastics for Mulch, Row Covers and Solarization. Must
be incorporated into soil or left in field to decompose.
P - Potassium Hydroxide (Lye).
P - Potassium Nitrate. Synthetic.
R - Potassium Permanganate. Allowed for post harvest
handling as an ethylene absorbent, provide the material is
contained away from produce, the material is not in direct
contact with any produce.
R - Potassium Sulfate. Natural source only. See Mined
Minerals.
P - Pressure Treated Lumber. There is serious concern
about the uptake of arsenic compounds from pressure treated
lumber used for the trellising vines and other field
applications. Fields, orchards, and vineyards with pressure
treated lumber must go through a three year transition from the
time the lumber is set in the ground before the land is eligible
for certification. Replacement trellises must be untreated for
certified land to remain certified.
P - Pyrethroids, Synthetic.
R - Pyrethrums. Only naturally occurring forms 'are
allowed. Synthetic pyrethroids 'are prohibited. Synthetic
additives are not allowed including piperonyl butoxide. See
Piperonyl Butoxide.
A - Quassia. A botanical extract.
R - Radionics. Only CCOF permitted materials sooty be
used ii Psychotronics machines or similar electronic scanning
devices.
A Repellents, Deer and Rabbit. Acceptable if derived from
a natural source, without synthetic additives.
A -' Rodent Traps. Mechanical traps 'are acceptable but
not with synthetic baits.
R - Rotenone. Moderately toxic, warning on lable. Use
carefully because of toxicity to fish and others. Brands
containing piperonyl butoxide are prohibited. See Piperottyl
Butoxide.
R - Ryania. Relatively non-toxic, but use with caution.
R - Sabadilla. Relatively non-toxic, but use with
caution.
A - Sea Animal Wastes. Crab and shrimp shells are
acceptable for nematode control if they do not contain any
synthetic ingredients.
A - Sea Creatures. Non-mammalian species only.Sec fish
emulsion.
A - Seaweed (& Aquatic Plant Products). See Kelp
Extracts.
R - Selenium. May be fed or injected to livestock to
treat for documented deficiencies.
R - Sewage Sludge. Likely to be contaminated with heavy
metals. Use only if documented to be uncontaminated. No known
sources are available at this time.
A - Soaps. Insecticide and herbicidal soaps consisting of
fatty acids derived from animal or vegetable oils are exempted
under the state law and are allowed. May also be used as
adjuvants (spreader-stickers, surfactants and carriers). May be
used as a disinfectant for livestock also.
R - Soda Ash. Post-harvest use only.
A - Sodium Bicarbonate. Foliar or post-harvest use only.
P - Sodium Chlorate.
R - Sodium Chloride. Natural sources only. Discouraged
because of high sodium and chloride content.
R - Sodium Fluoaluminate. This material is now being
mined in Greenland and the natural form is allowed. May seriously
injure some fruit. No visible residues allowed on harvested crop.
P - Sodium Fluoaluminate, Synthetically Derived.
P - Sodium Hydroxide.
R - Sodium Molybdate. Acceptable as a last resort. Use
other sources of Molybdetum if at all possible. Exempted under
the state law as a trace mineral.
R - Sodium Nitrate (Chilean Nitrate). Discouraged because
of high sodium content and tack of positive effects on soil
building. Allowed only as supplement to a balanced fertility
program. Excessive sodium buildup may prohibit further use.
Cannot be used as the primary source of nitrogen.
P - Soil Fumigants, Synthetic.
R - Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda).
R - Spray Adjuvants, Natural. Spreader stickers,
surfactants, Carriers and wetting agents. See Vegetable Oil and
also Soaps.
P - Spray Adjuvants, Synthetic. Spreader-stickers,
surfactants, carriers and wetting agents. Synthetically derived
soaps and detergents are exempt under California state law.
- Stakes. See Pressure Treated Lumber.
A - Sticky Barriers. Natural materials only.
A - Straw.
R - Strychnine. Botanical extract from Nox vomica.
Allowed for rodent control only. Must not be left on ground
surface. DANGER; Highly TOXIC. Acceptable for use only if grower
demonstrates continued research into alternatives to strychnine.
A - Suffocating Oils. Petroleum based suffocating oils
are allowed only on woody plants for pest control purposes.
Vegetable and animal derived oils are allowed on all plants and
are preferred for all uses. Petroleum based suffocating oils are
exempted under the state law for dormant and summer use. See
Petroleum Distillates for more information. Weed oils are
prohibited.
R - Sugar Beet Lime. May contain substantial herbicide
residues and weed seeds. Use only if documented to be
residue-free. Cannot contain slaked lime. See Limestone. See note
at the end of §7.2.2.
R - Sulfates of Zinc or Iron. May be used only to correct
for deficiencies determined by soil or plant tissue testing.
Exempted under the state law as trace minerals.
R - Sulfur. Allowed (A) for foliar use as an insecticide,
fungicide or fertilizer. Direct application to soil is
discouraged. CA law has prohibited use of sulfur- powder for
post-harvest treatment.
P - Sulfur Dioxide. The Department of Health Services has
rendered the opinion that SO2 gas cannot be used in food labeled
as organic.
A - Sulfate of Potash Magnesia. Derived from the mineral
langbeinite. See Mined Minerals.
A - Summer Oils. See Suffocating Oils.
P - Super Phosphate.
A - Trace Minerals. Exempt under California state
law. See Micronutrient Sprays.
P - Transpiration Blockers , Synthetic.
P - Transplants (annuals), not grown organically.
R - Treated Seed. May contain fungicides. pesticides or
heavy metals. Only allowed if 100 other option is available for
the type of seed needed. This applies to potatoes and strawberry
crowns for seed. Sweet potato slips are considered to be
transplants and as such must be organically grown.
A - Tree Seals. Plant or milk-based paints are
recommended but interior Latex paints may be used. Other
petroleum materials may be used if there is no alternative. Must
not be combined with fungicides or other synthetic chemicals.
- Trellises. See Pressure Treated Lumber.
P - Triple Phosphate.
P - Urea, Synthetic. All uses prohibited including using in livestock feed.
A - Vegetable Oil Spray Adjuvants. Spreader-stickers,
surfactants and carriers. Plant oil based adjuvants may not
contain synthetic pesticides.
A - Vermiculite.
A - Virus Sprays. Must be approved by CCOF Statewide
Certification Standards Committee 010 a product-specific basis.
Codling moth Granulosis virus is acceptable. No genetically
engineered viruses are allowed.
R - Vitamins, Natural. Can be used on crops or for
propagation if a natural source can be documented. Natural
vitamin sources for livestock supplements, such as seaweed,
sprouted organic grain and animal extracts are encouraged.
R - Vitamins, Synthetic. Allowed for use as a feed
supplement in livestock when naturally occurring vitamin
supplements are unavailable. Prohibited for use in plant
propagation and as rodenticides.
P - Vitamin Baits, Synthetic. May not be used directly or
in bait stations on certified land. These materials do not meet
the requirements of the state law.
A - Water.
R - Water, Reclaimed. Reclaimed water that meets sections
60303-6(1307 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations
may be used on non-edible parts of food crops and on crops not
for human consumption. Use on edible plant parts and root crops
is prohibited. Chlorinated water must meet the 2 ppm free
chlorine standard. Use must comply with Federal, State, and local
standards.
R - Water Softeners. Only acceptable for use with soaps.
R - Weed Oils. Petroleum fractions used as weed oil are
prohibited. Vegetable or animal derived oils are restricted. Use
with caution.
R - Wetting Agents. Natural wetting agents, including;
saponins and microbial wetting age lots are allowed. Soaps and
detergents are exempted by the state law. Polyacrylimides and
other synthetic wetting agents are prohibited.
R - Wood Ash. Allowed if from a naturally occurring
material except manure (due to environmental concerns). Wood
stove ashes must be free of contaminants from colored paper,
plastic, etc. Caution: it is easy to toxify soil with too much
ash. Use with moderation. See ''ash.
R - Wood, Treated./ See Pressure Treated Lumber. Wood
cannot be treated with a prohibited material, but alternative
wood treatments are acceptable.
A - Worm Castings.