Why "Natural" and not "Organic"?

Red Dog Ranch have chosen to become Certified Naturally Grown™ instead of assimilating into the collectiveness of the USDA's National Organic Program.

When the National Organic Program was implemented in 2002, farmers that once proudly referred to themselves as "Organic" were no longer allowed to do so unless they became certified by a USDA sanctioned agency.

Certification through the National Organic Program (NOP) requires an enormous amount of record keeping. Literally a paper trail of every type of thing you are growing, from seed to sale. This may be feasible for large commodity farms that grow a few types of vegetables and market under contract to chain stores or big processing plants, but time is a short commodity to small growers of diverse crops.

The costs associated with USDA certification - both in terms of money and paperwork requirements - is just too great for many small farmers. They pose an economic barrier.

Also, the purity of the word "Organic" has been dissolved away by corporate giants. Now, Organic Farms can use products like Round-Up™ and selected chemical pesticides!

Certified Naturally Grown™ (CNG) was created to address the challenges that smaller, diversified organic farms face when considering the USDA's Organic program.

Small farms and CSAs may grow hundreds of varieties of vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits every year and sell them directly to consumers in their own communities. But the volumes of paperwork, coupled with the equivalent of an additional tax (fees and assessments) have made Organic Certification prohibitive for diversified small farms such as ours.

CNG farmers are exempt from the fees and paperwork requirements associated with USDA Certified Organic, yet they are required to adhere to CNG's Certification Standards and inspections that are based on the highest principles and ideals of organic farming.

Certified Naturally Grown™ is an independent program not accredited by, or in any way affiliated with the USDA National Organic Program. CNGs Certification Standards include, but are not limited to the USDA Organic Standards.

CNGs program requirements are reasonable and affordable, and many farmers find the inspection process itself a valuable learning experience.

Certified Naturally Grown™ is internationally recognized and endorsed. Please find and support the CNG farms in your area!