Pennsylvania Certified Organic

What Pennsylvania Certified Organic does

Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO) is a USDA-accredited organic certifying agency operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit from Spring Mills, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1985, PCO certifies farmers, processors, and handlers of organic crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling operations, serving over 1,600 certified operations across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States. The organization is led by Executive Director Chris Solt (appointed September 2025) and coordinates the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region of the USDA-funded Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) with over 40 regional partner organizations, providing mentorship and technical assistance to farmers transitioning to organic certification.

PCO's core technology is a certification management portal powered by Intact Systems (portal.paorganic.org) that enables certified operations to manage their certification lifecycle, submit annual updates, track inspection status, and pay invoices. Supporting products include expedited certification services through a partnership with Quick Organics, an Annual Approved Materials List, and a public Farm Finder directory of certified operations. The organization publishes Organic Matters, a semi-annual print and digital magazine with approximately 2,500 print circulation covering organic industry news, policy updates, certification guidance, and farmer profiles. PCO also runs the Northeast Growing Together Conference at Rodale Institute and maintains presence at major regional events including Pasa Conference, Penn State Ag Progress Days, and the Rodale Institute Annual Field Day.

PCO generates revenue through three primary streams: annual organic certification fees charged to farmers, processors, and handlers (a recurring subscription-like model with operations paying per certification scope); advertising sales in the Organic Matters publication, including display ads, classified ads (first 30 words at $10, then $0.75 per word), and subscription packages; and membership dues providing access to Organic Matters and one free classified ad per issue. The USDA Organic Certification Cost Share Program can reimburse up to 75% of certification fees (up to $750 per scope). Customer acquisition is driven by industry events, TOPP regional partner referrals, content marketing, and the organic publication's reach within the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic farming community.

Name

Pennsylvania Certified Organic

Legal name

Pennsylvania Certified Organic

Website

https://paorganic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pennsylvania Certified Organic is a 501(c)(3) USDA-accredited organic certifying agency that certifies farmers, processors, and handlers across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic, serving over 1,600 operations and leading the regional TOPP transition mentorship program with 40+ partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Certification Services

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Certification Services (AFALAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

GMO/Non-GMO & Bioengineered Disclosure Verification (label compliance support) (AFALAHAH), Non-GMO Verification & Certification Services (AFALAMAB)

Keywords

• Organic certification services
• USDA accredited certification
• Organic compliance auditing
• Farm transition support
• Organic inspection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Spring Mills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: PCO generates revenue through organic certification fees charged to farmers, processors, and handlers seeking USDA organic certification. The organization also offers expedited certification services for operations with tight timelines.
2. Publication Revenue: Revenue generated through advertising sales in the Organic Matters publication, a semi-annual magazine with approximately 2,500 print circulation plus digital reach. Advertising includes display ads, classified ads, and subscription placements.
3. Membership Dues: PCO offers membership programs providing access to Organic Matters publication, networking opportunities, and one free classified ad per issue for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO) is a USDA-accredited organic certifying agency that educates and certifies growers, processors, and handlers of organic crops and products under the National Organic Program. PCO offers certification services for crop, livestock, wild crop, and handling operations, along with expedited certification pathways, the TOPP farmer transition mentorship program, the Organic Matters publication, and materials review support to certified operations across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic.

Product overview

Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO) is a USDA-accredited organic certifying agency offering a portfolio of certification, technical, and informational services to organic operations across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic. Its primary offering is USDA Organic Certification for crop, livestock, wild crop, and handling operations, managed through the PCO Certification Portal powered by Intact Systems software. Supporting products include expedited and Quick Organics certification pathways, the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) mentorship coordination, the Organic Matters publication (print and digital), the public Farm Finder directory, and the Annual Approved Materials List. PCO serves over 1,600 certified operations and operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USDA Organic Certification Services Core certification offering covering crop, livestock, wild crop, and handling/processing operations. Includes initial certification, annual renewal, document review, on-site inspections, and ongoing compliance support for organic farmers, ranchers, and processors.
• Expedited Certification Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 629 farmers aided through TOPP mentorship and technical assistance in first operational year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Quick OrganicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCO partnered with Quick Organics to make certification more straightforward and transparent for certified and applying operations. The partnership streamlines certification processes and provides improved access to certification services.
• TOPP Regional Partners (Northeast/Mid-Atlantic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCO leads the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic TOPP (Transition to Organic Partnership Program) with over 40 regional and cross-regional partner organizations. Partners include non-profit organizations across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic collaborating to provide mentorship and technical assistance to transitioning organic farmers.
• Rodale InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCO Board and Leadership held their 2025 retreat at Rodale Institute. The Northeast Growing Together Conference is hosted at Rodale Institute. Rodale is described as a landmark organization synonymous with advancing the organic movement.
• Pennsylvania Organic Center of ExcellenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPainterland Sisters participates in the Pennsylvania Organic Center of Excellence, a state initiative to boost consumer confidence and strengthen integrity in organic products.
• Pennsylvania Preferred Organic ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPainterland Sisters participates in Pennsylvania's Preferred Organic Program, established by legislation signed by Governor Shapiro to spur consumer confidence and continued growth for PA farmers.
• Organic Trade AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPainterland Sisters partners with the Organic Trade Association to back marketing with credible, research-backed information on organic benefits.
• Pasa Sustainable AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPasa Sustainable Agriculture collaborated with Penn State researchers on organic farming studies conducted on working farms, bridging research and practice.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Organic Trade Association: Membership-based business association for the organic industry in North America. Comparable to PCO as a complementary organic-industry organization focused on advocacy, policy, and market development rather than direct certification.
• Rodale Institute: Nonprofit organic agriculture research and education organization closely aligned with PCO through hosting events, leadership retreats, and the Northeast Growing Together Conference. Comparable as a mission-aligned ecosystem partner in the organic movement rather than a certification competitor.

Direct peers

• Oregon Tilth: USDA-accredited organic certifier serving farmers, processors, and handlers across multiple US regions. Directly comparable to PCO as an organic certification agency with advocacy, education, and certification services.
• Quality Assurance International (QAI): USDA-accredited organic certifier offering certification for crops, livestock, handling, and processing operations. Directly comparable to PCO's core certification services, operating at broader national and international scale.
• Global Organic Alliance: USDA-accredited organic certification agency certifying farms, processors, and handlers nationally. Directly comparable to PCO in core USDA organic certification services.
• Midwest Organic Services Association (MOSA): USDA-accredited organic certification agency serving farmers and processors primarily in the Midwest US. Directly comparable to PCO in nonprofit organic certification model, though focused on a different US region.
• CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers): One of the largest USDA-accredited organic certification agencies in the US, certifying farms, processors, and handlers. Directly comparable to PCO in service scope, USDA accreditation, and nonprofit/cooperative structure, though operating at significantly larger national scale.
• Baystate Organic Certifiers: USDA-accredited organic certifier serving growers, processors, and handlers in the Northeast US. Directly comparable to PCO with overlapping Northeast geography and nonprofit-like certification model.
• OneCert: USDA-accredited organic certification agency providing certification for crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling operations. Directly comparable to PCO in service scope and accreditation status.

Regional players

• Pro-Cert Organic Systems: Organic certification agency operating primarily in Canada with USDA NOP accreditation for cross-border operations. Comparable to PCO as an accredited certifier, but with a Canadian geographic focus rather than US Northeast/Mid-Atlantic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/paorganic
• Xx.com/paorganic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pennsylvania Certified Organic