Acceptable & Unacceptable Products in a TORC Organic Program
TEXAS ORGANIC RESEARCH CENTER (TORC) LIST OF ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE PRODUCTS FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION
In general, toxic synthetic pesticides are specifically prohibited, i.e., neurotoxins including all carbamates, organophosphates, pyrethroids, organochlorines and all products containing piperonyl butoxide (PBO). Certain toxic organic pesticides such as pyrethrum are also excluded.
A. ACCEPTABLE FERTILIZERS AND SOIL AMENDMENTS:
- AZOMITE MINERAL PRODUCTS
- BLACK KOW
- MEDINA NATURAL ORGANIC PRODUCTS
- NATURE’S CREATION PRODUCTS
B. MICROBE PRODUCTS
C. ACCEPTABLE GENERIC DRY PRODUCTS
- Bat guano
- Blood meal
- Bone meal
- Corn gluten meal (60% protein or 9-0-0 analysis)
- Coffee grounds
- Compost
- Compost tea
- Corn meal
- Cottonseed meal
- Decomposed granite
- Diatomaceous earth (natural freshwater)
- Dry molasses
- Cedar products
- Earthworm castings
- Fish hydrolysate and fishmeal
- Greensand
- Gypsum
- Horticultural corn meal
- Humates and humic acid
- Lava sand
- Molasses, dry
- Kelp meal
- Lava sand
- Rabbit manure
- Rock phosphate
- Seaweed meal
- Soy meal
- Sul-Po-Mag
- Wheat bran products
- Whole ground cornmeal
- Zeolite
D. ACCEPTABLE BASIC LIQUID PRODUCTS
- Apple Cider vinegar
- Compost tea
- Fish hydrolysate (liquid fish)
- Garrett Juice mix
- Humic acid
- Molasses, liquid
- Seaweed
- Vinegar (apple cider and other fruit-based products)
We used to allow “bridge” or “transition” products that contain synthetic ingredients but no longer believe that is acceptable for organic programs. They are certainly better than pure synthetic products. Some garden centers have their own private label products. Most of those are very good but be sure to read labels and ask questions.
E. UNACCEPTABLE GENERIC FERTILIZER PRODUCTS
- Ammonium nitrate
- Ammonium sulfate
- Biosolids products
- BR-61
- Ironite
- Osmocote
- Peters 20-20-20
- Scott’s Miracle Gro products
- Sewer sludge products
- Superthrive
- Synthetic fertilizers
- Synthetic growth regulators
- Synthetic weed and feed fertilizers
- Urea
- And all other synthetic fertilizers
F. ACCEPTABLE ORGANIC/NATURAL PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS
- AGRALAWN CRABGRASS KILLER
- NATURE’S CREATION
- SUMMIT PRODUCTS
- PURE GREEN
- SCRAM PRODUCTS
- Baking soda
- Beneficial insects
- Beneficial nematodes
- Biological products
- Borate products
- Boric acid
- Bt products
- Bti products
- Cinnamon products
- Citric acid products
- Citrus products
- Clove oil
- Cornmeal products
- D-Limonene
- Diatomaceous earth (natural)
- Eugene oil
- Garlic tea products
- Garlic pepper tea
- Glue Traps
- Horticultural Oil
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Insecticidal soap
- Kaolin clay
- Live Traps
- Monterrey herbicidal soap
- Neem
- Orange Oil
- Pepper products (red and black)
- Potassium bicarbonate
- Spinosad
- Summit Mosquito Dunks
- Vinegar products (from grain alcohol, not from 99% glacial acetic acid).
G. UNACCEPTABLE PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS
- 2,4-D
- Acetic acid (petroleum based)
- Amdro
- Atrazine
- Bayleton
- Bayer products
- BHA
- BHT
- Broadleaf herbicides
- Clopyralid
- Copper products
- Daconil
- Diazinon
- DSMA
- Dursban
- Ethoxyquin
- Finale
- Fipronyl products
- Funginex
- Glyphosate products
- Grazon
- Ironite
- Manage
- Merit
- MSMA
- Orthene
- Orthonex
- PBO
- Pendimethalin
- Picloram
- Piperonyl butoxide
- Pyrethroid products
- Pyrethrin
- Pyrethrum
- Rotenone
- Round Up
- Sabadilla
- Silica Gel
- SU herbicides
- Synthetic fungicides
- Vinegar made form glacial acetic acid
- And all other toxic synthetic products
H. OTHER ACCEPTABLE PRODUCTS
- FREEZE MISER
- DRAMM PRODUCTS
- HANDS ON GARDENING GLOVES
- SOIL SAAVY TESTING KITS
