Frequently Asked Questions about "Going Organic"
How long will my transition into organic farming take?
The transition period is defined as the time before certification where
a farmer begins using organic methods and following the organic
standard. It is an opportunity for the farmer to learn about organic
management practices needed under certification. The timeframe also
allows residues from conventional farming practices to degrade before
the harvest of an organic crop. The time needed for transition can vary
depending on your farm type.
Crops
Are you already growing with organic methods? If you have not used any
prohibited substances on your fields, then the transition period is
usually one year.
If you are coming out of conventional production, your transition
period will be three years from the date you last applied a prohibited
substance. For example, if your fields last received synthetic
fertilizer on June 3 of 2009, you would not be able to harvest an
organic crop until June 4, 2012. These three years are often referred
as T1, T2 and T3.
For new applicants producing crops (including maple, mushrooms, and
in-ground greenhouse production), 15 months must pass between the date
you initially apply to a Certification Body and the date you plan to
start selling your crops as organic. So, if your harvest begins in
early July, then you would need to have your application in by March 31
of the previous year.
Livestock
Livestock producers often end up going through a transition period with
their pasture and cropland. Generally, organic livestock must be under
organic management from birth. There are a few exceptions to this rule:
- Poultry must be managed organically from the second
day of life (allowing the purchase of day-old chicks, which are not
commercially available as organic).
- Non-organic breeding stock can be brought onto the
farm if you cannot source organic animals. They need to be well tagged
or otherwise identified, and can never be sold as organic meat. For her
offspring to be organic, the mother needs to be under organic
management for the last trimester.
- Unlike other livestock, livestock for milk production
can be transitioned from conventional production. Dairy animals must be
under organic management for 12 months prior to milk being considered
organic. Crops and pasture in the last year of transition can be
considered organic if used by livestock on the same farm (allowing the
organic transition of animals and land in the same 3 year period). When
a herd is transitioning to organic, in the first 9 months of the
transition year they may be fed 20% non-organic feed (as calculated by
dry matter intake).
Processing
For processors, there is no transition period required; the production
of organic processed food can begin once your application and first
inspection are complete, and your operation is approved by a
certification body. However, it is important to make sure have a
complete and accurate application, otherwise there can be delays in
approval.
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