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Converting to organic production

Converting to organic production is a major decision for any farmer or grower, often involving changes to farm structure, management and finance. It is therefore important that careful consideration is given to the process of conversion, and how it is undertaken.
Organic production is controlled within the EU by legislation both at community and member state level. Approved production standards have to be met and producers must be registered as organic producers.

Advice

If you are considering converting to organic production then taking sound advice is highly recommended. Unless you already have considerable knowledge of organic production systems, organic standards and procedures, assistance to help you make the correct decisions and fill in application forms is invaluable.
CAFRE provides a range of short courses on organic production including a number aimed at people considering conversion. It also organises organic development groups to which producers and others considering conversion to organic production are invited. Further details are available from DARD's Organic Development Advisers listed on the back page.
Prior to conversion, it is also a good idea to talk to, and visit, other organic producers, particularly those with a similar farm size and structure to your intended organic unit.

Planning

Planning both your intended organic production system, and the conversion route for achieving it, is an integral part of your application for organic registration. The certification body you register with will want to see that:
  • The unit will be practical and viable
  • It will meet their organic standards
  • Your conversion plan will achieve organic status within a reasonable time.

Marketing

You should develop your marketing strategy very early on in the conversion process, so that by the time you have achieved full organic status, you have a market for your produce.

Pre-conversion

Some farms or holdings are able to start conversion as soon as the decision has been taken to do so. On some farms, however, there may be a need to put in place some elements that are missing prior to starting conversion.
An example of this is when the grass swards on the farm contain little or no clover at all. In this case production levels would crash if conversion started without at least some clover.
The establishment of some clover-based swards prior to the start of conversion, and gaining confidence in their establishment, management and production potential may be advisable.
In some cases there may also be a need for work on buildings, particularly livestock housing, prior to conversion.

Soil fertility, rotations and manures

An important part of conversion planning is devising a rotation that will allow both the maintenance of soil fertility, and the required production. Reliance on legumes, in swards and/or as fertility building green manures, will apply on the majority of organic farms, and standards also determine how much manure can be applied as a supplement to the legume-based rotation.

Sustainability

An organic farm should aim to be as sustainable as possible. Certification bodies monitor all inputs so that sustainability remains a key feature of the farm. In particular, the level of purchased inputs will need careful consideration and the unit should ideally be planned to be as self-sufficient as possible.

Enterprises

Very early on in the planning process you will need to decide what enterprises your organic unit will contain. Because a whole-farm system is being planned, this may include enterprises which are not currently on the farm, but which will make it easier to operate.

Good Farming Practice for the Environment

Organic standards contain not just production rules, but guidelines which determine how your organic unit must maintain and enhance the natural environment.
These are now based on the EU-approved codes of ‘Good Farming Practice for the Environment’.
The planning of your organic unit and application for organic certification require you to show how you will adhere to these codes.

Timeframe for conversion

Whilst each piece of land generally has a basic two year conversion period, depending on the enterprises involved, the time period over which conversion will take place will need to be decided.
In general terms, achieving full organic status for produce from a converting livestock farm may take a while longer than just the two years required for the land's conversion, and longer still if conversion of the whole farm is in phases.
In addition, the time of year that conversion starts may also have a bearing on how rapidly full symbol (fully organic) status of produce can be achieved.

Phased conversion or all at once?

As well as planning for the time to reach full symbol status, decisions will be needed as to whether the farm converts all at once or in phases (phased conversion).
There may well be over-riding factors which pre-determine how conversion will proceed, such as land with crops already planted, or existing livestock to be finished.
Small farms will probably convert relatively quickly, but large farms requiring phased conversion may take several years.

Simultaneous conversion of land and livestock

On livestock farms, where the complete production unit is converted together with the stock, the overall conversion period can be reduced to 24 months, or a little over.
  • Calves – applies when they are born from existing breeding cows where the stock are fed mainly with products from the unit
  • Calves born three months after the start of conversion can be sold as organic once the land has achieved organic status.
  • Lambs - applies to lambs born from existing ewes and where the stock are fed mainly with products from the unit
  • Lambs can be sold as organic once the land has achieved organic status
Stock management must meet all of the organic standards from the outset of conversion.
Simultaneous conversion cannot easily be combined with a phased conversion.
Note: cows and ewes (and other stock) already on the farm at the start of conversion can never themselves become or be sold as organic.

Pigs and poultry

It is sometimes possible for land to be granted organic status after one year for use by pigs and poultry. A derogation can be requested when land has not received prohibited inputs for at least 12 months previously.

Choice of certification body

Your choice of certification body will depend on a number of factors, one of which will be personal preference.
However, some certification body's standards are more restrictive than others, and this may well determine which is most suitable. There may also be cost and marketing factors to be taken into account.

Cost

Organic registration and certification require a licence fee to be paid, and certification bodies differ somewhat in their fees and fee structures.
On Northern Ireland farms, experience to-date has shown that organic certification costs range from around £250 - £600 per year depending on a number of factors, the most important usually being the size of the farm.

Registration procedure and time-scale

From the time of considering 'going organic' to receiving confirmation of organic registration will probably take several months. Below is a typical sequence.
  • Discuss your ideas with an organic adviser and take basic decisions
  • Obtain further information about organic production and marketing, and visit organic producers
  • Obtain a set of standards and application forms
  • Obtain soil analysis and any other necessary documentation
  • Plan the organic farm, its rotation and a timetable for conversion, including a start date
  • Fill in and submit application forms to certification body
  • Start farming organically (if not already started) and start keeping comprehensive records
  • Receive inspection date or a request for further information
  • First annual inspection
  • Inspectors report laid before certification committee
  • Receive registration certificate/first years licence and/or a compliance notice (see below) Apply for any support schemes by the appropriate date.

Form filling

Whilst the application forms appear very simple, there are dangers of not giving sufficient information to allow registration to proceed.
Working with an experienced adviser will generally avoid delays caused by this as they will know what information is required to ensure the application goes smoothly.

Record keeping

Keeping clear, up-to-date records of all operations, animal movements and financial transactions will assist both your management of the unit and will allow your inspector to get a clear picture of how your unit is running. Without good records you will soon run into certification difficulties.
You are strongly advised to have a comprehensive recording system in place, and operating, by your first inspection.

First inspection

Some weeks after submitting your application, you will be given a date for your first inspection. You will also be told what information will be required at the time of the inspection.
In general terms, you will already have started your conversion by the time first inspection occurs.
Inspection should not be a daunting process, and you should learn much from the inspector.

Compliance notices

Compliance notices are issued where there are issues which have to be complied with, resolved and/or agreed (in writing) before an organic licence can be issued. This can occur after first inspection, following annual inspection, where derogations or special permission has been requested, and when changes to the farming system have been notified to the certification body. New producers are often taken aback by compliance notices, but they are issued solely to ensure that organic standards will be fully met.

Organic Certification Bodies

A number of UK approved organic certification bodies currently register producers in Northern Ireland:
Soil Association Certification Ltd
South Plaza
Marlborough Street
Bristol
BS1 3NX
Tel: 0117 9142406
Organic Farmers and Growers Ltd
The Old Estate Yard
Shrewsbury Road
Albrighton
Shrewsbury
SY4 3AG
Tel: 01939 291800
Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association
Main Street, Newtownforbes, Co. Longford
Tel: 00 353 43 42495
Organic food Federation
31 Turbine Way
EcoTech Business Park
Swaffham
Norfolk
PE37 7XD
Tel: 01760 720444
Organic Trust Ltd
Vernon House, 2 Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3
Tel: 00 353 1 8530271
Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association
The Painswick Inn Project, Gloucester Street,
Stroud, Gloucester, GL5 1QG
Tel: 01453 759501

Contacts for further information

CAFRE Organic Development Advisers can assist with all stages of your planning, conversion and registration.
Adrian Saunders
Greenmount Campus, ANTRIM BT41 4PU
Tel: 028 9442 6765
Mobile Tel: 07887 708807
email: adrian.saunders@dardni.gov.uk
Manus McHenry
Greenmount Campus, ANTRIM BT41 4PU
Tel: 028 9442 6642
Mobile Tel: 07717 732613
email: manus.mchenry@dardni.gov.uk
April 2008