Step by step to organic conversion

• Talk to a Greenmount Organic Development Adviser about your ideas
• Obtain technical leaflets and conversion information relating to organic production
• Attend the Greenmount 2-day ‘Introduction to Organic Production’ course
• Draw up rough plans for your intended organic enterprises and how you see it operating
• Ask Organic Adviser for a farm visit to discuss:
  • Your outline plans
  • Your farm’s limitations and opportunities
  • Marketing
  • What your conversion plan should contain
  • Rotations
  • Stock numbers and closed herd/flock breeding systems
  • Building requirements
  • Feed requirements for livestock as conversion progresses
  • Animal health
  • What application for registration entails
  • Certification body contacts

• Make adjustments to your plans
• Visit other organic farmers and or focus farms, on recommendation of your adviser
• Discuss your organic plans with any landlords
• Decide on certification body and obtain an application/standards pack
• Obtain soil analyses and discuss with your adviser
• Gather up:
  • Farm maps
  • Field history information
• Ask Organic Adviser for a second farm visit to assist you in:
  • Firming up marketing ideas
  • Drawing up rotation(s)
  • Drawing up a conversion plan, time frame and start date
  • Drawing up an animal health plan
  • Drawing up a conservation plan
  • Drawing up a nutrient management plan
  • Accessing information on cattle BSE associations
  • Putting in place a recording system
  • Filling in application forms for your chosen certification body
  • Providing any other important information
• Send off application forms and fees to certification body
• Start farming organically as appropriate to your conversion start date
• Start keeping farm records
• Receive acknowledgement of receipt of forms from certification body
• Prepare for first organic inspection
• Undergo organic inspection
• Receive compliance forms and discuss with your adviser
• Return compliance forms and any other required information
• Receive organic registration certificate – you are now an EU registered organic producer
• Apply for any support schemes

• The Organic Bulletin – published three or four times a year
• Membership of an Organic Development Group – on-going meetings, farm walks, study tours and short courses
• Membership of an email discussion list
• To benchmark your farm business