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Going organic - our step by step guide:
1.
Call Organic Centre Wales
to access the Organic Conversion Information Service
2. Plan carefully
3.
Meet other organic farmers
4. Read about it
5.
Look at your marketing options
6. Get your farm certified
7. Register with the Organic Farming Scheme Wales
Calls to the helpline may be
monitored for training purposes
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1. Ring the Organic Centre Wales
helpline
on 01970 622100 to access the Organic Conversion Information Service.
Organic Centre Wales runs a technical
Helpline. Helpline officers will be
able to answer your questions on organic food and farming and register you for the Organic Conversion Information Service
(OCIS Wales). |
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OCIS Wales is a free service, funded by the
Welsh Assembly Government, and aims to provide farmers with the information they
need to make an informed decision about whether to convert. It includes
an information pack and up to two on-farm advisory visits from experienced advisors from ADAS and the Organic Advisory Service.
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2.
Plan carefully
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The new Farming
Connect service (available from June 2008) will pay 50% of the cost of a whole
farm plan. For producers in conversion this means you can develop a
comprehensive plan to get you through the conversion period and beyond. It could
cover a wide range of topics including financial/ economic issues; livestock and
cropping plans; animal health and welfare; environmental aspects; and social/
family issues. In addition it will also help meet the requirements of your
organic certification body and the support your application to the Organic
Farming Scheme and other Agri-environment schemes such as Tir Cynnal and Tir
Gofal. Organic Centre Wales staff can assist you identifying a suitable
consultant and help you decide on the scope and content of your plan.
There are several consultants with organic
expertise, all of whom have been accredited by Organic
Centre Wales. For details
click
here. |
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3. Meet other organic farmers
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Meeting other experienced organic, and in- conversion producers, can be
helpful. Farming Connect supports a network of organic discussion groups,
demonstration farms and the organization of a
programme
of events for organic producers.
For details of activities in your area contact
Philip Jones on 01970 622248 and visit
our events page.Organic
Research Centre Elm Farm (01488 658298) runs a similar network in England,
and the Soil Association (0117 914 2400) has a network of organic farms open
to the public in both England and Wales.
Organic Centre Wales can also organize training events and one-stop shops on
demand, and Lantra can support pay 50% of costs to farmers. Organic Centre
Wales’ has a high profile at the Royal Welsh Show, Winter Fair and other
major farming events. We also
organize an
annual conference, focusing on key political, developmental, marketing and
technical issues for organic producers in Wales .
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4. Read about it
Technical publications
and fact sheets are available to help producers with organic management
problems. You can also subscribe free
of charge, to our monthly e-mail bulletins, Organic
Wales, which will keep you up to
date with developments in Welsh organic sector, and
Organic Market Wales,
which focuses on marketing issues specifically. The Soil Association publishes a quarterly magazine, Organic Farming,
which contains technical items and news
and the Organic Research Centre Elm Farm publishes a bi-monthly
technical Bulletin..
Organic Farmers and Growers provide an information pack for farmers and
regular newsletters.
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5.
Look at
your marketing options
There are many opportunities for marketing Welsh organic produce for example
through producer groups/ cooperatives, supermarkets, direct sales to the
public. OCW
produces a trade directory and produces a monthly bulletin,
Organic Market Wales as part of Farming
Connect. For more information visit our
marketing page.
The Food and Farming Development Division (FMDD) of the Welsh Assembly
Government also offers support for the development of organic marketing and
processing. |
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6. Get your farm certified
Minimum organic standards are set by the European Union and interpreted by DEFRA
under the guidance of the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards (ACOS). They
are implemented by a number of certifying bodies. In order to sell your produce
as organic, and to claim the organic farming scheme payments (see below) you
must register with one of these organizations, who also offer technical support,
information and advice. For more information and contact details of the
certification bodies working in Wales,
click here.
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7. Register with the Organic Farming Scheme Wales
The
Organic Farming Scheme is a Welsh Assembly Government agri-environment scheme
that offers payments to farmers in Wales to help them convert to organic
farming. It is a five year scheme which is also available to farmers already
converted to organic farming. The first two years attract higher payments
because generally speaking, conversion related costs are highest during this
time - produce cannot be sold as organic and receive organic premiums, but the
farm is being managed to organic standards which may involve some yield
reduction. For details click here
and visit our policy pages.
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