The publication highlights organic opportunities and offers strategies to address the unique challenges that transitioning producers face. It features livestock, crop, and vegetable producers who were in the process of transitioning or were recently certified organic between 2012 and 2015.
The producers’ profiles highlight their motivations to transition, significant challenges encountered, and the outcomes they deemed most satisfying. Four transition strategies – full, gradual, immediate and split – were identified as most often adopted by farmers who participated in the Tools for Transition Project.
Transitioning to Organic
In partnership with
a
Agri-Star
Farms
North Powder, ORegon
“The exposure to chemicals is tremendous
here,” says Doug Lewis, owner of Agri-Star
Farms. In the summertime, many neighboring
farms are sprayed with pesticides weekly by
planes, exposing farm workers and residents
via wind drift. Doug was motivated to transition to organic production, committing himself
to reduction of chemical use in this small rural
community.
What started as a challenge, transitioning small plots of conventional
land in 1999, will result in nearly 800 acres of certified organic Land by
Oregon Tilth in 2015.
Initially, fields were fallow and relatively easy to
transition. Over time, Doug increased expansion
to organic farmland, adding areas previously dedicated to alfalfa production that had few weeds
and better than expected soil fertility.
Doug believes that organic limits exposure to
chemicals, a healthier option for rural communities and consumers. As an organic potato producer working side-by-side with conventional farmers,
Doug sees firsthand why the Environmental Working Group includes potatoes on its ‘Dirty Dozen’
list – a guideline for avoiding fruits and vegetables
with the highest levels of chemical pesticide residues.
Throughout the process, Doug faced several challenges common to transitional organic producers.
For example, he continues to learn about weed
control options in organic systems with limited options. In fact, when offering advice to producers
considering transitioning land to organic, he says,
“It is critical to understand weed science.”
For support during the transition, Doug contacted USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS) to inquire about the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. He
has worked with NRCS for the past four years and
received both financial and technical assistance
along the way. NRCS staff were enthusiastic helpers, providing support on several issues including
cover crops and fertility management. The financial assistance helps offset the lack of an organic
premium in the market during transitional years.
Providing adequate fertility for his crops—organic
barley, wheat, oats, potatoes and yellow mustard
seed—was also a challenge when transitioning to
organic. Chicken manure is readily available but
expensive, and repeated applications can lead to
excessive levels of phosphorus and potassium in
the soil. With NRCS support, Doug is now exploring nutrient cycling with legumes such as alfalfa
and using longer crop rotations to provide needed nitrogen without increasing other nutrients. Innovative rotation planning also provides benefits
such as weed suppression and reduction of tillage.
NRCS works with producers on a range of practices integral to organic systems such as crop rotation, cover cropping, nutrient management, composting facilities, wildlife and pollinator habitats,
mulching and grazing systems. In addition to technical assistance and based on eligibility, producers
may receive funding to cover up to 90 percent of
the cost of implementing each practice. Growers
interested in learning more about opportunities to
use EQIP as well as other financial and technical
assistance, should contact their local NRCS field
office.
a
Briede
Family
Vineyards
winchester, virgina
Paul and Loretta Briedé of Winchester, Virginia are
dedicated consumers and advocates of organic
food production. Although they owned farmable
land for years, it remained idle or used as horse
pasture. Loretta said, “We had land, had a tractor
and wanted to do something with it.” So, the two
self-described amateur wine lovers decided to transition the land to certified organic grape production. And in 2013, they established Briedé Family
Vineyards, Virginia’s second organic vineyard.
By avoiding harmful chemicals and focusing on building healthy soils, the
Briede family believes they will get a healthier, better tasting crop.
The Briedés are committed to organic production,
which Loretta says, “It’s not only better for people,
but also for the plants.” The Briedés had never
grown grapes, but learned by starting with a test
plot and attending seminars at Virginia Tech.
“Growing grapes has been one of the hardest
things we have done,” says Loretta. Establishing
the vineyard was a monumental task; thousands
of hours went into planting 1,500 grape plants
by hand over two acres. The Briedés didn’t anticipate the scope of the work and had difficulty in
finding help. Weeds were another big labor intensive challenge, including ongoing maintenance to
keep the vineyard floor clear.
Matching passion with practice, Paul and Loretta
were eager to establish habitat for beneficial insects to help manage vineyard pests. They contacted the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) and learned about the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. NRCS support through EQIP assisted
the Briedés removal of nonnative plants along the
edges of fields. Funding also supported creation
of a half-acre area of native warm season grasses
and forbs. providing prime habitat for pollinators
and natural enemies of crop pests. Loretta says,
“NRCS was really helpful and knowledgeable
about what needed to be planted.” The habitat
plantings also helped them to meet several National Organic Program (NOP) requirements, including one that specifies that producers must
maintain or improve the natural resources of their
operation.
In August 2014, Briedé Family Vineyards had
their first organic inspection and will be certified
by Pennsylvania Certified Organic. Their ability to
transition to organic production was accelerated
since the land had not been managed with prohibited materials in over three years.
Looking forward, the Briedés plan to expand the
vineyard in small increments of up to one acre at a
time as they learn and the initial workload lessens.
They expect to harvest a small crop of grapes and
begin winemaking in their third year of production.
NRCS works with producers on a range of prac-
tices integral to organic systems such as crop rotation, cover cropping, nutrient management, composting facilities, wildlife and pollinator habitats,
mulching and grazing systems. In addition to technical assistance and based on eligibility, producers
may receive funding to cover up to 90 percent of
the cost of implementing each practice. Growers
interested in learning more about opportunities to
use EQIP as well as other financial and technical
assistance, should contact their local NRCS field
office.
a
Grinnell
Heritage
Farm
Grinnell, Iowa
In 2007, Andrew Dunham moved to central Iowa
to become a 5th generation Iowa farmer on
Grinnell Heritage Farm. The farmland has been
in his family for over 150 years. Andrew’s education in ecology and experience from working
with subsistence farmers in the Peace Crops
in East Africa furthered his passion for organic
farming. “No debate,” he says. “I would either
be an organic farmer or not a farmer at all. I have
no interest in farming conventionally.”
Andrew is strongly committed to not using harmful chemicals on the farm.
As a farm worker, he does not want the exposure to chemical pesticides.
He and co-workers harvest many vegetables by
hand. Andrew emphasizes he doesn’t want any
farm staff to spend hours each day handling produce treated with chemicals that could put them
at risk for cancer or other diseases.
When Andrew and his family arrived at the farm,
they began to transition the land from conventionally farmed corn and soybeans to producing organic vegetables, flowers and herbs. During the transition period, the Dunhams faced a steep learning
curve around organic methods that required patience. Initially, the soil was in poor health; it was
compacted, tight and prone to crusting over. Now,
Andrew can see real results of how organic farming practices have revitalized the farm. “Life is
coming back into the system,” he said.
Andrew encountered another issue common to
new organic producers: weeds. The farm had
a substantial bank of weed seeds present and it
took time to gain control. When farming organically, Andrew says, “You need to be patient; you
can’t just try for one year. It takes several years to
create a successful management system.”
For support during the transition, Andrew contacted the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) to inquire about the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. Through the program, he received both
financial and technical assistance on a range of
farming practices such as cover crops, crop rotations and nutrient management. The program provided Andrew with essential resources to manage
the transition period. And applying these farming
practices have dramatically improved the health of
Grinnell Heritage Farm’s soil. Visitors to the farm
have told him that a stroll in the fields feels like
walking on pillows.
For Andrew, one of the biggest benefits of working with NRCS was the opportunity to plant native
shrubs for wildlife habitat immediately. He was interested in planting habitat, but would have been
forced to wait several years to increase farm sales
and afford the investment. With NRCS’s financial
support, Andrew planted habitat areas during the
transition period and saw immediate benefits. After a few years without any sightings, he has documented the reappearance of snakes – in fact,
Andrew keeps a running list of encounters. “This
year we saw six snakes so far,” he said. “Just to be
clear, I want snakes. They take care of rodents and
are wonderful to have on the farm.” Andrew directly attributes the return of these slithering farm
hands because of the wildlife habitat planted with
NRCS support.
After his positive experiences, Andrew is encouraging more organic producers to work with
NRCS. He also hosts farm tours for NRCS employees to learn more about organic production.
Andrew believes helping increase NRCS staff’s
knowledge and comfort with organic production supports positive working relationships with
organic farmers.
NRCS works with producers on a range of practices integral to organic systems. Based on eligibility, producers may receive funding to cover up
to 90 percent of the cost of implementing each
practice. Growers interested in learning more
about opportunities to use EQIP as well as other
financial and technical assistance, should contact
their local NRCS field office.
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