Accredited Certifiers Association
Founded in 2004, ACA is a nonprofit membership association promoting consistency in USDA organic certification through training, working groups, and policy advocacy. It serves 47+ NOP-accredited certifiers, inspectors, and material review organizations via tiered membership and its acaDEMY learning platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Accredited Certifiers Association does
Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA) is a nonprofit membership association founded in 2004 to promote consistency and collaboration in USDA organic certification. It serves 47+ member organizations spanning NOP-accredited organic certification agencies, pending certifiers, material review organizations, active organic inspectors, and broader organic community members in the US, Australia, Germany, Italy, and France. ACA's core offering is acaDEMY, a subscription-based online learning platform built on the LearnUpon LMS, complemented by acaDEMY LIVE in-person regional training events (Massachusetts, Oregon), a monthly Lunch & Learn webinar series, collaborative Working Groups that produce Best Practices and Guidance documents, and the Common Organic System Plan (Common OSP), a standardized certification template developed across the certifier community.
ACA operates a tiered membership model: Inspector Members ($175/year), Associate Members ($295/year), Pending Certifier Members ($295/year), and Certifier Members (from $165/year, with voting privileges). Supplementary revenue comes from acaDEMY subscriptions ($35/month for members, $55/month for non-members, with team bundle pricing), annual conference registration and sponsorship, and grant-funded programs including USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) work routed through partner OATS. Distribution is primarily self-serve through the website and LearnUpon portal, with field-driven conference and in-person training events. Key technology integrations include Zoom for webinars, Constant Contact for email, and emerging partnerships with Quick Organics and Organic Agent AI for certification workflow digitization. Strategic partnerships with IOIA, OTA, OATS, and USDA-NOP anchor ACA's content quality and policy influence. The organization is not a technology company but rather a coordination layer that increasingly productizes its training and standards content.
Accredited Certifiers Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Accredited Certifiers Association
- Legal name
- Accredited Certifiers Association, Inc.
- Website
- https://accreditedcertifiers.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Founded in 2004, ACA is a nonprofit membership association promoting consistency in USDA organic certification through training, working groups, and policy advocacy. It serves 47+ NOP-accredited certifiers, inspectors, and material review organizations via tiered membership and its acaDEMY learning platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Accredited Certifiers Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Organic Certification Services (AFALAMAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Accreditation & Oversight Bodies for Food Safety Certification (ABs/Scheme Owners) (AFALACAB)
Keywords
Accredited Certifiers Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: ACA generates revenue through annual membership fees from four categories of members: Inspector Members ($175/year), Associate Members ($295/year), Pending Certifier Members, and Certifier Members (from $165/year). These fees fund the association's activities including training programs, working groups, conferences, and advocacy for consistency in organic certification.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Inspector Member - Active organic inspectors |
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Member - Organic community organizations and individuals |
| Subscription | Annual | Pending Certifier Member - Certification agencies applying for accreditation |
| Subscription | Annual | Certifier Member - Accredited certifying agencies |
| Subscription | Monthly | acaDEMY Online Learning - Individual Access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Accredited Certifiers Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ACA is a nonprofit membership association that brings together NOP-accredited organic certification agencies, agencies applying for accreditation, material review organizations, inspectors, and other organic community members to promote consistency and collaboration in organic certification. It delivers tiered annual memberships, an online learning platform (acaDEMY), in-person regional training (acaDEMY LIVE), monthly Lunch & Learn webinars, an annual conference, working groups, and policy advocacy through NOSB comments.
Product overview
Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA) is a membership-based professional association, not a traditional product company. The organization's offerings include acaDEMY, an online learning platform (built on LearnUpon LMS) offering on-demand courses and certificates, complemented by acaDEMY LIVE in-person regional training events. Core programs include a monthly Lunch & Learn webinar series, annual conferences (with the 2027 PROOF conference upcoming), and Field Notes Live virtual office hours. ACA also provides the Common Organic System Plan (Common OSP), a standardized certification form developed collaboratively across certifiers. Working Groups develop Best Practices and Guidance documents, while NOSB Comments represent policy advocacy. Membership tiers serve Certifier Members, Pending Certifiers, Associate Members, and Inspector Members. ACA integrates with Zoom (webinars), Constant Contact (email), LearnUpon (LMS), Quick Organics (certification workflow), and Organic Agent AI (AI tools).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- acaDEMY: Online learning platform and in-person regional training events for organic certification professional development
Products and services
- Membership Programs Tiered annual membership open to NOP-accredited organic certifying agencies, agencies applying for accreditation, material review organizations, inspectors, and broader organic community members. Includes Certifier Members (from $165/year with voting privileges), Pending Certifier Members (educational activities and conference attendance), Associate Members ($295/year), and Inspector Members ($175/year).
- acaDEMY Online Learning Platform Subscription-based online learning platform built on LearnUpon that delivers on-demand professional development courses on organic certification topics, with completion certificates and team training options. ACA & IOIA Members pay $35/month or $420/year; Non-Members pay $55/month or $660/year.
- acaDEMY LIVE In-Person Training Small-group, in-person training events held in different regions (Massachusetts, Oregon) that focus on risk-based certification skills and topics tailored to specific regional certification issues. Registration required.
- Lunch & Learn Webinar Series Monthly professional development webinar series for ACA members covering SOE implementation, risk-based certification, import processes, AI in certification, noncompliance writing, and other organic certification topics. Replays accessible to members via acaDEMY.
- ACA Annual Conference Annual in-person conference bringing together organic certification professionals, NOP staff, and industry stakeholders for training, working group sessions, and networking.
- Field Notes Live Virtual office-hours sessions for live discussion on current certification topics, particularly livestock certification issues such as natural light provisions, euthanasia methods, and bird weight measurement. Hosted by Jackie DeMinter.
- ACA Working Groups Collaborative member working groups focused on topics such as SOE implementation, Residue Evaluation, and Streamlining Certification. Members can recommend topics and participate in developing guidance documents for the certifier community.
- Common Organic System Plan (Common OSP) Standardized organic certification form and template developed collaboratively by the certifier community through ACA working groups, enabling organic operations to use a single form with multiple certifiers and streamlining the certification process.
- NOSB Comments Official written comments that ACA prepares and submits to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on proposed organic standards, regulations, and policy matters affecting certification agencies.
- Member Resources Library Member-exclusive resource library including Best Practices and Guidance documents, Spanish-language documents, supply chain traceability audit tools, SOE contacts, and internal auditor listings.
Quantifiable outcome
- Training and resources available to 47+ certification organizations representing the majority of organic certifiers in the US
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Accredited Certifiers Association
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Accredited Certifiers Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability2 records
Accredited Certifiers Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS)coreACA works with OATS on educational materials development for organic handlers. OATS Director Mallory Krieger presents at ACA Lunch & Learn sessions, and the organizations collaborate on training content for the organic certification community. Funded by USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
- Northeast Organic Dairy Producers AllianceminorACA is a member of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA), supporting collaboration between certifiers and organic dairy producers. This membership enables ACA to stay connected to producer perspectives and issues in the organic dairy sector.
- International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA)coreACA partners with IOIA for training programs, including the Basic Processing course. The two organizations co-develop and co-deliver training for inspectors and certifiers, combining ACA's certifier-focused content with IOIA's inspector expertise. Joint training events like the Fall Training for Certifiers are offered.
- Organic Trade AssociationcoreACA collaborates with the Organic Trade Association (OTA) on educational initiatives, including the Guide to Organic Handling and Processing project developed by OTA with USDA NOP funding and ACA's educational leadership. The organizations work together on industry standards and compliance resources.
- Organic Farmers AssociationminorACA holds membership in the Organic Farmers Association, maintaining connections with organic farmer perspectives and supporting the organic farming community's interests in certification matters.
- National Organic CoalitionminorACA is a member of the National Organic Coalition, participating in broader organic industry advocacy efforts and policy discussions affecting the organic certification community.
- IFOAM Organics InternationalminorACA maintains membership in IFOAM Organics International, connecting the US organic certification community with the global organic movement and international organic standards.
- USDA National Organic Program (NOP)coreACA maintains a collaborative relationship with USDA-NOP for certifier training events. NOP staff participate in ACA conferences and training sessions, and ACA provides feedback on NOP policies and implementation. Joint NOP-ACA panels are held at ACA Annual General Meetings to discuss collaborative processes.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights10 records
Accredited Certifiers Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- AOAC International: AOAC is an established standards-development association (contact listed in ACA records) focused on analytical method validation across food, feed, and agriculture. It is comparable to ACA as a peer-run professional association curating methods, training, and consensus standards in adjacent food-safety domains.
- NSF International: NSF is a large, established standards and certification body offering third-party organic and food-safety certification, testing, and training. While a for-profit certifier rather than an association, it overlaps ACA's universe by serving the same organic producers and offering training that competes with acaDEMY.
- ASTM International: ASTM is a large, established standards-development organization with a membership/working-group governance model akin to ACA's. While it covers a much broader standards portfolio, its consensus-based committee and training programs make it a structural analog for an industry-association standards body.
- ANSI (American National Standards Institute): ANSI coordinates US standards and accreditation systems and oversees bodies that accredit certifiers (e.g., IOAS accredits organic certifiers). It is comparable to ACA as a higher-tier accreditation/standards coordination organization with policy influence on US conformity assessment.
Emerging players
- International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS): IOAS is a specialized accreditation body for organic and sustainable certification programs worldwide. It sits one level above ACA's members - accrediting the certifiers ACA serves - making it an adjacent player in the same organic certification ecosystem with overlapping training and policy functions.
Direct peers
- Organic Trade Association (OTA): OTA is a US-based membership association serving the broader organic industry (producers, handlers, retailers). Like ACA, it influences NOSB policy, runs educational programs, and partners with NOP - they co-developed the Guide to Organic Handling and Processing, making the two association models highly comparable.
- IFOAM Organics International: IFOAM is the global umbrella organization for the organic movement, coordinating organic standards, accreditation (via IOAS), and policy advocacy worldwide. ACA holds membership in IFOAM, and the two serve overlapping international organic-certification stakeholder communities.
- International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA): IOIA is the closest peer - a global membership association providing training and accreditation support specifically for organic inspectors and certifiers. ACA and IOIA already co-deliver basic processing training and joint sessions, making them direct counterparts in the organic certification professional-development market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Accredited Certifiers Association social profiles
Digital presenceAccredited Certifiers Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Accredited Certifiers Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Accredited Certifiers Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Accredited Certifiers Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Accredited Certifiers Association
What does Accredited Certifiers Association do?
ACA is a nonprofit membership association that brings together NOP-accredited organic certification agencies, agencies applying for accreditation, material review organizations, inspectors, and other organic community members to promote consistency and collaboration in organic certification. It delivers tiered annual memberships, an online learning platform (acaDEMY), in-person regional training (acaDEMY LIVE), monthly Lunch & Learn webinars, an annual conference, working groups, and policy advocacy through NOSB comments.
Is Accredited Certifiers Association a public or private company?
Accredited Certifiers Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Accredited Certifiers Association founded?
Accredited Certifiers Association was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does Accredited Certifiers Association make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Dues.
Who are Accredited Certifiers Association's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are AOAC International, NSF International, ASTM International and ANSI (American National Standards Institute). International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS) is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Organic Trade Association (OTA), IFOAM Organics International and International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA).
Does Accredited Certifiers Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Accredited Certifiers Association.
What industry is Accredited Certifiers Association in?
Accredited Certifiers Association's product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAMAA, Organic Certification Services, with a secondary code of AFALACAB, Accreditation & Oversight Bodies for Food Safety Certification (ABs/Scheme Owners). Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.