The increase in numbers of farmers considering organic farming as a viable option will lead to an increase in the number of conversion plans to be prepared in the near future. Good conversion planning can help minimise the risks associated with conversion by identifying potential problems, in particular feed requirements and stocking rates, animal health, soil fertility and nutrient management

Barry, Pat

Swan , Brendan

English

Organic Eprints

National Organic Conference 20081Managing the conversion process successfullyPatBarry1&BrendanSwan21Teagasc Advisory Office,Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork2Teagasc Environment Research Centre Johnstown Castle, Co WexfordThe increase in numbers of farmers considering organic farming as a viable optionwillleadtoanincreaseinthenumberofconversionplanstobepreparedinthenearfuture. Good conversion planning can help minimise the risks associated withconversionby identifying potentialproblems,in particular feed requirements andstocking rates, animal health, soil fertility and nutrient management.Techniques forconversion planningwere developedas studentprojects in theearlyeighties and were subsequently adopted by organic farming advisors in the UK(Lampkin,1992).Conversionplansarenowa perquisiteforapplyingfor anorganiclicencefromoneofthecertificationbodiesbutarealsoausefultoolforassessingthetechnical feasibility of the conversionanda roadmapthroughthe difficulties of theconversion process (MacRae et al, 1989).There are three steps in the process of planning an organic conversion:1. Current Management Practices – identify the resource limitations to befacedduringconversion. This would include soiltype,farm infrastructureand quotas.2. Organicvision-whatthetargetisforthefarmtobeproducingwhenfullorganic symbol is achieved.3. Future management practices – this will outline changes that have to bemadetocomplywithorganicstandards,theplanwillneedtodemonstratehowsufficientforagewillbeprovided,howsoilfertilityandgoodanimalhealth and welfare will be maintained.Provision of sufficient high quality forageCloveristhekeytosuccessfulgrasslandmanagementonorganicfarms(Barry,2002).Assuming reasonable soil fertility levels, nitrogen supply to the plant is the key toNational Organic Conference 20082sustainable levels of grass growth (Culleton et al, 2002). White clover through itsability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, can transfer nitrogen to the plant and therebyencourage grass growth. The quantity of nitrogen suppliedcanbeas much as 150kgN/ha (Humphreys & Lawless, 2007).Clover content in pastures can be increased by: Encouraging the spread of indigenous varieties Direct Reseeding Undersowing with a cereal crop Oversowingintopermanentgrassland(Culletonetal,1999;Humphreys & Lawless 2007).Maintenance of High Animal Health and WelfareThe maintenance of a high animal welfare status is enshrined as one of the principlesof organic farming and good health is obviously a major element in the overallwelfare status of the animal (IFOAM, 1998). Good livestock health is not seensimply as the absence of disease, but a high level of vigour and vitality, thusenhancing the animal’s ability to resist infection, parasitic attack, metabolic disorderand recovery from injury (Younie, 2000).Because the organic system minimises the use of veterinary treatments, a positiveapproachto livestock husbandryis required(Boehncke, 1997).Every decisionthat ismade regarding grassland management, housing, reproductive patterns have thepotential to impact on livestock health. Preventative health strategies include: Closedherds Breed choice – breeding for disease resistance Adequate feed supplies Establishment of clean grazing system Adequate winter accommodation.National Organic Conference 20083SoilFertilityNutrient management is one of the main challenges facing the organic farmer. In theshort term, the challenge is to supply sufficient nutrients to the crop at the correct timein its development to achieve economically viable yields. In the longer term, thechallenge is to balance inputs and off-takes of nutrients to avoid reduction in soilfertility or environmental pollution (Briggs, 2008).Nutrientsupplytocrops depends on the use of legumes toadd nitrogentothe systemand limited amounts of supplementary nutrients, in acceptable forms. Manures andcropresidues must be carefullymanagedto recycle nutrients aroundthe farm.Croprotation is the central tool that integrates the maintenance and development of soilfertility with different aspects of crop and livestock production in organic systems.Short term leys help ensure good soil structure and biodiversity in crop systems aswell as improving weed control (Watson et al., 2002). As a result of the long terminteractions between different components, soil fertility management needs to be along term integrated approach rather than the short term very targeted solutionscommon in conventional agriculture.Organic farming adopts many practices that minimises fertility losses such as: Maximising green covers – short term leys, cover crops Use of straw based manures or compost applications Lower stocking rates.Manuremanagementwithintherotationhasbeenshowntohavelargeeffectsonbothyieldandproductqualityincludingproteinlevelsincereals(Stein–Bachinger,1996;Frederiksson et al, 1997). The quality of nutrients in manures varies with type ofanimal, feed composition, quality and quantity of bedding material, length of storageand storage conditions (Dewes & Hunsche, 1998; Shepardet al, 1999).Animal manures are an important means of re-distributing nutrients as it is importantto ensure that excessive fertility is not built up in some fields at the expense of others(Berry et al, 2002). Manure use should be planned with regard to both farm systemand field nutrient budgets (Briggs, 2008).National Organic Conference 20084While the certification bodies accept conversion plans from both farmers andprofessional advisors, it is important to research the topic well, a good solidconversion plan will provide a roadmap for the farmer and will help ease thetransition from conventional methods of farming.References1. Barry, P. (2002). Ten steps for successful conversion to organic farming.In Culleton, N, Barry, P; Fox, R; Schulte, R & Finn, J.(eds) Principles ofSuccessful Organic Farming, Teagasc ISBN 1 84170 292 7.2. Berry,PM;Stockdale,EA;Sylvester-Bradley,R;Philipps,L;Smith,KA;Lord,EI;Watson,CA& Fortune,S.(2002) N,P& Kbudgetsforcroprotations on nine organic farms in the UK. Soil Use and Management3. Boehncke, E. (1997). Preventative strategies as a health resource fororganic farmingInIsart,J& Llerena,JJ.(eds) Resource Use inOrganicFarming,Proceedingsof3rdWorkshopofEuropeanNetworkforScientificResearchCoordinationinOrganicFarming(ENOF),Anconaa,Italy,June,1997pp25-35.4. Briggs,S.(2008).NitrogenSupplyandManagementinOrganicFarming.Report, Institute of Organic Training and Advice (IOTA), Craven Arms.5. Culleton,N;Barry,P&Fox,R(2002).EstablishingPastureswithWhiteClover. In Culleton, N, Barry, P; Fox, R; Schulte, R & Finn, J.(eds)Principles of Successful Organic Farming, TeagascISBN 1 84170292 7.6. Culleton,N;Barry,P;&Sheehy,J.(2002).WhiteClover.InCulleton,N,Barry, P; Fox, R; Schulte, R & Finn, J.(eds) Principles of SuccessfulOrganic Farming, Teagasc ISBN 1 84170 292 7.7. Dewes T & Hunsche E. (1998). Composition and microbial degradabilityin the soil of farmyard manure from ecologically managed farms.BiologicalAgriculture 16, 251-58.8. Frederiksson,H;Salommonsson,L&Salommonsson,AC.(1997).Wheatcultivatedwithorganicfertilisersandurea.ActaAgriculturaeScandinavica Section B 47, 35-42.9. Humphreys,J&Lawless,A.(2007).AGuidetoManagementofWhiteClover in Grassland. End of Project Report Series No. 3 MooreparkDairy Research Update, TeagascNational Organic Conference 2008510. IFOAM(1998). Basic Standards of Organic Agriculture,InternationalFederationofOrganicAgricultureMovements,Tholey-Theley,Germany.11. Lampkin,N.(1992).ConversiontoorganicfarmingPhDthesis,University College of Wales, Aberystwyth12. MacRae,RJ;Hill,SB;Henning,J&Mehuys,GR.(1989).Areviewoftheexisting scientific barriers to sustainable food production and potentialsolutions. Agriculture Science & Sustainable Agriculture 6 pp173-21913. Shepard,MA;Bhogal,A;Philipps,L;Rayns,F;Lennartsson,M&PainB.(1999). “The development of improved guidance on the use of fertilitybuildingcropsinorganicfarming”finalreport–DEFRAResearchProjectOF0316 projectpublication.14. Stein –Bachinger, K. (1996). Strategies to improve yieldandcrop quality bydifferentdistributionoflimitedamountsoffarmyardandliquidmanureappliedto subsequent crops after grass-clover. Proceedings of the 3rdmeeting ofFertilistation Systems in Organic Farming, Copenhagen pp64- 7415. Watson,CA;Atkinson,D;Gosling,P;Jackson,LR&Rayns,FW.(2002).Managing soil fertility in organic farming systems. Soil Use andManagement18.16. Younie,D.(2000).Integrationoflivestockintoorganicfarmingsystems:healthandwelfareproblems.ProceedingsofNAHWOA2ndworkshop,Cordoba,Spain, 9– 11 January 2000.

Managing the conversion process successfully

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