""Organic" is now dead as a meaningful synonym for the highest quality food. Responsible growers need to identify not only that our food is grown to higher, more considered standards, but also that it is much fresher because it is grown right where it is sold. Therefore, we have come up with a new term, one we define to mean locally grown and unprocessed, in addition to exceptional quality. It's a term we hope will be used, as "organic" was used when we began, by those local growers who accept that if you care first about the quality of what you produce, a market will always be there. We now sell our produce as "Authentic Food." We invite other serious growers to join us." -Elliot Coleman Welcome. Here is the story behind the World's First and Only Free [Organic] Certification. by Jason Beam I wanted to grow things for a living. I apprenticed on a farm and became farm manager and learned how to get Organic Certification. I learned how to grow without the use of plastic of any kind. I learned how to grow in the cold. I learned that the moon is very influential in growing conditions. I learned how to make money, without spending money. I learned that money comes from people, and people want an authentic product or service, and if you provide that with passion and a heart-felt smile you will have no limits to what you can earn. I learned that you give first and sell second. And, finally, the right customers need no sales pitch of any kind, and they become a supporting member of your customer family. One of the first things I had to learn was how to get State Organic Certification before the nationaI organic program began. 1999, Organic Farmers and Consumers fought to keep the U.S. government out of Organic Standards. I was on the front line of the battle, and wrote congressman, and lobbied against the takeover. This issue was one of the largest public involvement with U.S. government in history, hundreds of thousands of protesters and letters and petitions. We lost the battle, and some of the original Organic Folks formed their own groups, and some benefited by the takeover. Organic is big business now, and certification procedures are costly, time consuming, tedious, and watered down. That is my personal belief, and to that extent we have created the first free consumer-driven certification process in the world. It is perfect for small farmers and micro producers who need to get a certification process in place immediately and attract more customers. It is known as Certified Authentic Beyond Organic, and is used in place of all other organic certification, so that you, the grower, can continue to grow organically, and be certified whenever you're ready, by inviting your customers to certify their food for you. "Certified Authentic Beyond Organic" means "local". Come join us, we're known as CABO. |
Certified Authentic Beyond Organic
Certified by the only ones that matter: Your
Customers!
Certified by the only ones that matter: Your
Customers!
What is CABO? CABO is a Fresh, Pure, Local Food Certification Procedure whereby the produce grown by the grower is verified fresh, local, and sustainable by the grower's own customers. The grower's fields, barns, greenhouses and processing facilities are open to the grower's customers for inspection at any time. It is a simple process for the customers to certify their own food source, and lend credibility to a grower who may choose to focus on growing food for our tables, and not on costly, time consuming, traditional "organic" certification. It is the only Free Certification program available to distinguish grower's products as Fresh, Pure, Local, or Traditionally Processed Foods which are grown for superior nutrition for the consumption by local people. CABO is a new way in which the future of food shall be grown, processed, delivered and consumed, based on the old world practice of "daily markets stocking seasonal foods" for delivery or pickup. Every step of this process will be checked by the consumer of this food with their highest expectation for Safety, Pureness, Nutrition, Ecologically-Minded growing techniques, Ripeness and Nourishment. The customer decides whether their food is Certified Authentic and Local, Beyond anything newly labeled "Organic". And, the grower is rewarded with a "spirit of approval" from the people who matter most: their own families and customers. What are the CABO Standards or Rules? CABO STANDARDS
What if my customer doesn't check all the "Yes" boxes? This is an indication that you need to change something at your farm or place of production. You must begin to communicate with that customer and find out what's wrong, how can you change it, and will it make a difference to them if you do. Just with any certification board, standards must be upheld. But with CABO, your customer is much easier to communicate via email, telephone, face to face, or with a facilitator than it is with busy government officials or multinational certifiers whose goal is to act global, not "act local". Work on the issue, dissolve the dispute, and change your place or practices to reflect the organic industry's highest standard, CABO. Have the customer check your list off again after you've made changes and improvements, or eliminations. If they certify you this time, great. If not, you must communicate again and do all the things that they tell you to do. If it becomes too much of a hassle, or your customer may be too demanding, or there is no conflict resolution, try another customer. But, remember, you must try first with your initial customer. Chose another customer only after you have exhausted your options for change. Who recognizes CABO, and how can CABO help me as a commercial producer? CABO is recognized by your peers, your customers, and your community. There simply is no one more important. Your reputation will grow and customers will come. Build trust in your community and you will have enough business to exceed the CABO model and then you can begin to consider national certification procedures if you need to serve more people. CABO exists to help you right now to focus on what it is that you are doing. CABO is a self regulating entity that only needs to appeal to each and every customer or market that you can build. You will not seek any other third party intervention other than the people who support you or buy from you. CABO is new to the world, and thus, with anything that challenges the paradigm or establishment, it has the chance of being ridiculed and discredited. Surely it will, as third party organic certifiers claim that they are the only ones to decide if produce is fit for organic labeling. But, you won't worry about them or any authority. CABO is not an "Organic" label. CABO is not certifying any one "Organic". CABO is Authentic, "Beyond organic". That means, "it's local". CABO is a private arrangement or contract made between you and your customers for all of your private customers to view. If you can prove trustworthiness to your customers, than you can have all the business you want. Is CABO a trademark and can I use the name and logo anywhere? The CABO name and logo is trademarked by the author, and is done so for the benefit of the users. The author, acting as the authorized representative and/or private attorney, will administer the use of the name and logo for all people choosing to get certified through their customers. It is open and available for all to use, to copy, to reprint, to display, to advertise, and to transmit in all forms, at any time without the need for approval by the authorized representative. The only need for an authorized representative is to administer the standards or rules, answer any and all questions from members, their customers, or any third party intervention, and provide a vision and starting point for a movement that will quickly grow and spread as the need for local food production intensifies greatly. You, the producer or customer, have a duty to perform in exchange for the use of the CABO identity: To familiarize yourself with the standards and rules, follow them to the best of your ability, and focus on feeding people or supporting members. CABO exists to accelerate your growth by providing on demand certification at no cost to anyone, and to provide communities with a model that will support the growth of cottage industries for the benefit of the entire community. |
I have yet to find a man, however exalted his station,
who did not do better work and put forth greater
effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of
criticism. -Charles M. Schwab
who did not do better work and put forth greater
effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of
criticism. -Charles M. Schwab