What does OMRI-listed mean?

What OMRI is

The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is an independent nonprofit that reviews products, including fertilizers, pest controls, and growing media, and determines whether they comply with USDA National Organic Program standards.

When a product is "OMRI-listed," it means OMRI has reviewed its ingredients and manufacturing process and confirmed it meets organic production standards.

What it means for us

Every input we use in our growing operation, including substrate, nutrients, and amendments, is OMRI-listed. This means they've been independently reviewed and approved for use in certified organic production.

We use the OMRI badge because it's specific and verifiable. You can look up any OMRI-listed product in their public database.

Why we don't say "organic"

The word "organic" on food labels is regulated by the USDA. To call a product organic, you need USDA organic certification, which is a separate process from using OMRI-listed inputs.

Using all OMRI-listed inputs is a prerequisite for organic certification, but certification also requires inspections, documentation, and fees. We use OMRI-listed inputs exclusively. We have not pursued USDA organic certification at this time.

Saying "grown with OMRI-listed inputs" is accurate and transparent. Saying "organic" without the certification would be misleading. We chose accuracy.

Veganic

You'll also see us use the term "veganic." This means our growing methods use no animal-derived inputs. No bone meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, or manure. Our nutrition comes from mineral and plant-based sources.

This isn't a certified designation in the way organic is. It describes our method.

The summary

OMRI-listed means independently reviewed for organic compliance. We use only OMRI-listed inputs. We don't claim organic certification because we haven't pursued it. We say exactly what we do and nothing more.