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QOrganic farmingHow long is the conversion to organic production and what happens to the produce meanwhile?
| Crop type | Conversion period |
|---|---|
| Annual field crops | 2 years before sowing |
| Meadows, pastures, perennial forage | 2 years |
| Perennial (permanent) crops | 3 years before harvest |
Conversion starts on the date of the contract with the control body. During it you apply all organic rules, but the produce cannot yet be sold as "organic". After at least 12 months of conversion, single-ingredient plant food or feed can be sold labelled "in conversion".
This is the hardest period financially: costs are as in organic production, but prices are as in conventional. That is why support under the organic farming intervention of the Common Agricultural Policy is especially important (section A).
What is prohibited and what is allowed in crop production:
| Rule | Content |
|---|---|
| Prohibited | Synthetic pesticides, readily soluble mineral fertilisers, genetically modified organisms |
| Organic nitrogen | Up to 170 kg nitrogen per hectare per year from farmyard manure |
| Seed | Organic seed (exceptions are regulated) |
| Plant protection | Prevention, resistant varieties, biological agents and products authorised under the regulation |
Material: Training Module 2, sections 6.1–6.2; Regulation (EU) 2018/848; Ministry of Agriculture, Organic Production Directorate.