What Is CCOF?
CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) is the largest USDA-accredited organic certifying agent in North America. Founded in 1973, CCOF predates the National Organic Program itself and has been certifying organic operations for over five decades. CCOF is accredited by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service under the NOP to certify farms, ranches, processors, handlers, and retailers to the federal organic standard defined in 7 CFR Part 205.
When you see "Certified Organic by CCOF" on a product label, it means that a CCOF inspector has physically inspected the operation that produced or handled that product, verified compliance with all NOP requirements, and CCOF has issued a valid organic certificate for that operation.
What Does CCOF Certification Cover?
CCOF certifies operations across four scopes defined by the NOP:
- Crops — Farms growing organic fruits, vegetables, grains, and other plant products
- Livestock — Operations raising animals organically (dairy, poultry, eggs, meat)
- Wild Crops — Wild-harvested products from designated natural areas
- Handling/Processing — Facilities that process, package, or distribute organic products
CCOF also offers additional certifications including CCOF Certified Regenerative Organic and Non-GMO Verification, though these are supplemental to the core USDA organic certification.
How Many Operations Does CCOF Certify?
CCOF certifies approximately 4,000+ organic operations across the United States, Mexico, and Central America. It is the dominant certifier in California — the state that produces the most organic agricultural products in the country. Major brands certified by CCOF include household names in organic food, beverages, and personal care products.
In the USDA Organic Integrity Database, CCOF-certified operations are identified by certifying agent name "CCOF" or "California Certified Organic Farmers."
CCOF vs. Other Certifying Agents
CCOF is one of approximately 80 USDA-accredited certifying agents worldwide. Other major certifiers include:
- QAI (Quality Assurance International) — Large certifier based in California
- Oregon Tilth — Pacific Northwest-focused certifier
- OCIA International — Global certifier with Midwest roots
- Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF) — Northeast regional certifier
- Ecocert — International certifier with U.S. operations
All USDA-accredited certifiers enforce the same federal standard (7 CFR 205). The choice of certifier does not change the legal requirements — it changes which organization performs the inspection, issues the certificate, and reports to USDA. All certifiers must report to the same Organic Integrity Database.
How to Verify a CCOF-Certified Product
Verifying a product that claims CCOF certification involves the same process as verifying any organic product:
- Go to the USDA Organic Integrity Database
- Search for the company name or brand associated with the product
- Confirm the certifying agent is listed as "CCOF" or "California Certified Organic Farmers"
- Check that the certificate status shows "Current"
- Verify the certificate expiration date has not passed
You can also verify through CCOF directly at ccof.org/organic-search, which provides CCOF's own directory of certified operations.
Important: A product label that says "Certified Organic by CCOF" is making a federal regulatory claim. If the underlying CCOF certificate has expired, been surrendered, or been revoked, the product cannot legally be sold as organic regardless of what the label says.
Why CCOF Certification Matters for Retailers
For retailers, CCOF-certified products represent some of the most well-established organic brands in the market. However, even CCOF operations undergo annual re-certification. Certificates expire, ownership changes, and operations sometimes surrender or lose certification.
Under the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule that took effect in March 2024, retailers have expanded obligations to verify that the organic products they sell are backed by current certifications. This means retailers cannot simply assume that because a product has a CCOF logo on the label, the certification is still active.
verify.organic's OCAM system automatically cross-references CCOF-certified products (and products from all other certifiers) against the USDA Organic Integrity Database to confirm active certification status. See verified product examples from our system.