Organic inspector training (IOIA crop, livestock and processing courses)

International · International Organic Inspectors Association · professional · unverified source

54practice questions written to this syllabus
2subjects

Format

Training courses with written assessments and a field inspection exercise; certifying bodies set their own inspector qualification rules.

Sections

Over the years

Route into organic certification work. Built from general knowledge.

Official source: https://www.ioia.net/

Subjects this exam draws on

Organic Farming & Certification45 questionsEnvironmental Management Systems, Auditing & Standards9 questions

Five practice questions, worked

Original questions written to this exam's published syllabus and pattern. Not past papers.

1. The four principles of organic agriculture adopted by IFOAM in 2005 are:

  1. Health, ecology, fairness and care
  2. Health, economy, fertility and control
  3. Soil, water, plants and animals
  4. Yield, quality, safety and profit
Answer and working

A. Health, ecology, fairness and care

IFOAM's 2005 principles are health, ecology, fairness and care.

Organic Farming & Certification · IFOAM principles of organic agriculture

2. During a farm audit, an auditor compares pesticide purchase invoices, spray records and stock in the store. What is the main purpose of this reconciliation?

  1. To test the integrity of records by checking that purchases equal use plus remaining stock
  2. To calculate the farm's profit from pesticide resale to neighbouring farms
  3. To determine the pesticide's chemical structure and toxicity class from the invoice description
  4. To decide the date of the next certification audit based on stock levels
Answer and working

A. To test the integrity of records by checking that purchases equal use plus remaining stock

If purchases do not match recorded use plus stock, records may be incomplete or falsified, or unrecorded use or illegal products may exist. The reconciliation is not about profit, chemistry or scheduling.

Environmental Management Systems, Auditing & Standards · Environmental auditing: types, process and auditor competence

3. Under the US NOP pasture rule, ruminants must graze during the grazing season for at least:

  1. 60 days, with at least 10% of dry matter from pasture
  2. 180 days, with at least 60% of dry matter from pasture
  3. 365 days, with all dry matter from pasture
  4. 120 days, with at least 30% of dry matter from pasture
Answer and working

D. 120 days, with at least 30% of dry matter from pasture

NOP: at least 120 days grazing and at least 30% DMI from pasture over the season.

Organic Farming & Certification · Organic livestock and aquaculture

4. In smallholder group certification, which finding most undermines the credibility of the whole group?

  1. One member's spray record missing the wind speed on a single day
  2. Internal inspections recorded as complete for farms the inspector never visited
  3. A member's farm map drawn by hand rather than with GPS
  4. A member growing a second crop not covered by the certificate
Answer and working

B. Internal inspections recorded as complete for farms the inspector never visited

The internal control system is the backbone of group certification; falsified internal inspections mean the certification body cannot rely on it, which can lead to suspension of the whole group. The other findings are individual and correctable.

Environmental Management Systems, Auditing & Standards · Good agricultural practice schemes and farm audits

5. Under EU rules, land for annual crops must be managed organically before sowing for at least:

  1. 2 years
  2. 1 year
  3. 3 years
  4. 36 months before harvest
Answer and working

A. 2 years

EU: 2 years before sowing for annuals, 3 years before harvest for perennials.

Organic Farming & Certification · Conversion planning

Practise it, and prove it

These notes are free to read here, with no account.

What the Laisha app adds:

Free for ten days, then a subscription. We would rather write that here than have you find it later.

Open Laisha →