Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon's Department of Agriculture is now accredited to certify farms as organic.

For years, farmers who wanted to market their produce as grown under the National Organic Program, had to turn to private organizations like Oregon Tilth or to other states, like Washington and Idaho. 

But now, says Jim Cramer of the state Department of Agriculture, Oregon will be able to do its own certifications.

Jim Cramer: "I really don't expect a flood of applications. The state of Washington has been here in the state of Oregon doing certifications for several years. They have recently decided to pull out of doing those types of certifications now that the Oregon Department of Agriculture is going to be able to provide that service."

Oregon is the 16th state accredited for the national program.

The state is charging about $75 an hour to audit books and look over fields to make sure certain pesticides and fertilizers have not been used for three years.

Organic farm sales in Oregon increased from about $10 million in 2002 to almost $90 million in 2007.