Producers invited for ‘real talk’ on transitioning to organic

Producers wanting to learn about transitioning their farm to organic are invited to a field day hosted by the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association from noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 20 near Hartford, South Dakota.

Featured speaker, 2023 Tri-State Neighbor Crop Watcher Blake Burggraff of 465 Farmstead, will share firsthand insights on transitioning large parcels of land to regenerative and organic certification.

Burggraff will share the motivation of why he chose to transition his farm to organic. Learn about best practices, inputs, soil health and the challenges Burgraff faced. He will also discuss the financial and operational realities of organic farming, including the input changes and certification costs, the timeline of transitioning, organic premiums, buyers, and market access.

The event will include a walking tour of the transitioning fields where attendees can see regenerative and organic principles in practice. Participants will have time to connect with other organic farmers during farmer questions and peer-sharing time. Discussions will include lessons learned and tips for new transitioners.

Dr. Angela K. Jackson, South Dakota Specialty Producers Association organic transition advisor, will share information on organic certification steps, resources and technical assistance and programs.

This field day is for current and beginning farmers, technical service providers, and anyone who would like to learn more about transitioning their farm into organic production.

Additional programming supporting producers transitioning to organic is planned this fall. Webinars are scheduled Oct. 14th with Marvin Pritts, Cornell University, featuring low tunnel organic strawberry production and Nov. 5 with Kevin O'Connell of O'Connell Organic Acres in Iowa, on transitioning to organic swine and lamb production. For a full listing of SDSPA events visit https://sdspecialtyproducers.org/events/.