Dairy Transition
With the publication of the USDA Organic Rule, the dairy herd transition time is now one year. The one-year transition period will allow farmers to become familiar with alternative health care practices, organize record keeping systems, and generally become familiar with organic production and certification requirements.
*** It is recommended that you search out and confirm a market for your milk prior to beginning the transition and certification process. Organic certification does not guarantee a market for your milk.
**Transition is a one-time, whole-herd conversion. This is a one-time opportunity for a conventional dairy operation to transition their herd to organic production. All animals to be transitioned must be on farm at the beginning of the one year transition. From the beginning of transition on, no additional conventional animals may be brought to the farm to transition.
The one-year transition feed requirement is 100% organic feed for a full year. Feed harvested from fields in their third year of transition (T3) that are included in the Organic Farm Plan may be used as part of the 100% organic feed requirement during the one-year herd transition period. The beginning of transition should be timed so that T3 land is eligible for certification by the end of the one-year herd transition. Feed harvested from first or second year transitional land is not allowed for feed or bedding. All third-year (T3) transitional feed must be fed up or removed from the farm by the end of the transition year.
All other Certification requirements must be followed during the one-year transition period, including health care practices.
***During transition, all National Organic Program Standards must be followed completely***
To Prepare for Transition, Dairy Farms Should:
- Implement organic management practices for fields, including crop rotation requirements
- Develop appropriate housing and pasture for dairy animals, including young stock.
- Implement pasture and outdoor access in the winter for all animals over 6 months old
- Discontinue the use of antibiotics, hormones, synthetic medications and dry cow treatment
- Search out and implement the use of alternative health care practices
To Begin the Transition Process:
It is important to familiarize yourself with the National Organic Standards.
The process of the NOFA-NY Certified Organic, LLC Organic Dairy Certification is a multi-step process. Farmers wishing to convert a dairy herd to organic production must first apply for Transition Status with the Program at the beginning of the one-year transition period. During the sixth month of the transition period, the application for full certification is completed.
In order to begin the Transition process, a sufficient amount of land that is certifiable or in its third year of transition (T-3) must be available to provide adequate supplies of pasture and forage to meet the 100% organic feed requirement. Even with an organic premium, it is not always economically feasible for farms to purchase large amounts of organic forages and organic grains. To begin the Transition process, we use as a guide, a minimum of 1.5 acres of total certifiable land for each 1000# animal unit, or 90% of your fields.
All non-certifiable fields should be in transition at the start of the one-year dairy herd transition. It is understood that if a farm has non-certifiable fields, there must be a plan developed for segregation of crops from non-certified fields, and a plan showing what these crops will be used for. If non-certified crops are sold off the farm, sales records must be kept.
The first step in the process is to purchase an application packet and fill it out. Included with the application packet will be a Dairy Transition Questionnaire, which must be submitted with your application.
**Please note: The date your application is received in the office is the date your transition officially starts; provided you are in compliance with the Organic Regulations at that time.
If you wish to begin the transition to organic dairy production, the process is outlined below:
- Purchase a Transition Application Packet.
- Fill out the application and return it to the office along with the Dairy Transition Questionnaire and Dairy Transition Fee. The application will include requirements for organic certification, including maps, equipment lists, field histories and other record keeping requirements. Feed supplies and sources of feed will be reviewed. Animal housing, feed storage facilities and medication usage are also reviewed. The office staff will be available to assist you with questions about your application. By the time you submit your application, you must be managing your animals organically.
- When your application is received in the office, it will be reviewed by a staff member for completeness and compliance with the National Organic Program. If there are questions, you will be contacted by mail or phone and will have two weeks to respond.
- Upon completion of the office review of your application, your file will be sent to an inspector. The inspector will contact you directly to schedule an appointment to visit your farm. After the inspection, the inspector will write an inspection report. Your file will then be sent to a Final Reviewer. A Final Reviewer will review your application and inspection report and make a determination on Transition status.
- Six months prior to the end of the one-year transition period, you must begin the application process for full certification. You will be sent an application for full certification at that time. The same procedures outlined above will be followed, only this time for full certification.
Costs for the One-Year Transition Process:
Application Packet $50.00
(Includes Standards Manual)
Transition Application Fee $300.00
Inspection Deposit $300.00
(If inspection costs exceed the $300.00 deposit, the balance will be billed to the producer. If inspection costs are less, the balance will be refunded) If additional inspections are necessary, they will be billed separately.
