Basic Requirements In An Organic Farming

Basic Requirements In An Organic Farm

When a farmer decides to convert his farm to organic, he is required to engage in a number of new activities in addition to normal farming operations. These forms the basic requirement in organic farming. It is assumed that the farmer is well aware of these aspects before venturing into the production process.

• Let’s See These One By One

1. 1. All organic farmers should be acquainted with the organic standards, which cover the specific details on what is allowed and what is not allowed in organic farming, including storage, transport, and sale.
   2. Compliance Of Production Activities – The existing facilities and production methods must comply with the standards for organic, which may involve modifying the existing facilities to the required norms, input sourcing, and changing suppliers, etc.
   3. Farm Documentation – This involves extensive paperwork of up-to-date information detailing farm history and current set-up including the results of soil and water tests, harvest details, input-output expenditure over a period, etc.
   4. Planning – The farmer should have a written annual production plan detailing everything from seed to grain [ harvest ].
   5. Inspection By A Certifying Agency – As a certified farmer, he should allow annual on-farm inspections including a physical tour, examination of records, and an oral interview on the farm activities and social welfare of laborers.
   6. Fee – Payment of annual inspection/certification fee and complying with the existing norms of the country depending on the size of the operation.
   7. Record-Keeping – Written, day-to-day farming, and marketing records, covering all activities, which must be made available for inspection at any time.

Now we have understood how an organic farmer maintains his farm to qualify as organic. Once you have mentally decided to convert your farm to organic, the next step is to understand the conversion process and related activities for transition.

Let’s Examine These Aspects One By One

• Conversion

The process by which a farmer switches over to an organic farming system from the conventional/chemical farming or traditional farming system is called a Conversion. The time between the start of organic management and getting organic certification is called the Conversion Period. A farmer would follow the prepared conversion plan. For example, if a farmer has ten acres of land, he may prepare a conversion plan for two acres at the first stage, and after every one or two years and depending upon the returns and financial resources, he may increase the organic farm area to another two acres. Likewise, the entire farm can be converted to organic over a period of five to seven years.

In doing so it is necessary to follow the Split Production in the farm by maintaining organic and non-organic fields separately. However, in the long run, the entire activities including animal husbandry, fisheries, poultry, and other enterprises should be converted into organic. Generally, the minimum conversion period is Two Years For Annual Crops and Three Years For Perennial Crops.

The conversion period can be relaxed based on the verification by the certification agency if the requirements are fully met. During conversion, steps should be taken to maintain Bio-Diversity within the farm. For this, a variety of farming activities can be taken up like crop rotation, mixed cropping, relay cropping, tree farming, etc.

• Mixed Farming

In an organic farm, the Mixed Farming is the basic principle. Mixed farming is nothing but the inclusion of animal husbandry, poultry, fisheries, or any other agricultural enterprises that are practiced along with crop production. The concept of self-sufficiency through animal waste recycling and on-farm soil fertility maintenance is carried out through this process. Shifting cultivation is not permitted in organic farms.

• Crop Rotation

Growing of different crops in different seasons at the same farm is called Crop Rotation. The crop rotation should be followed on the basis of locality and region. In a rotation, cover crops, green manure, fodder crops, and leguminous crops are included for making soil healthy. As you may recall that leguminous crops have the capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. In the case of perennial crops, cover crops, green leaf manure crops, deep-rooted trees may also be included. Monocropping should be avoided in organic farms.

• Planting

Species and varieties cultivated in organic farms should be adapted to the soil and climatic conditions and resistant to pests and diseases. Seeds or planting material should be procured from organic sources only. If it is not available, chemically untreated seeds/planting materials can be used only once, i.e., during the conversion period which will be considered as organic after 3rd crop. Uses of GM [ Genetically Modified ], tissue-cultured, transgenic plants or pollen cultured, etc. are not permitted in the organic farm plants/planting materials.

• Manuring

Maintenance of soil fertility in the organic farm is carried out through green manuring, inclusion of leguminous crops and application of composts [ For example: compost, vermicomposting, farmyard manure, etc. ]. The plant residues after harvest are to be incorporated into the soil. Biodegradable materials of microbial, plant or animal origin should be applied as manures. The uses of synthetic chemicals like Urea, Superphosphate are not permitted. The mineral base materials like Rock Phosphate, Gypsum, Lime, etc. can be applied in limited quantities when there is absolutely necessary.

• 1- Products That Are Permitted As Manure In Organic Fields

One of the criteria to assess the status of an organic farm is to verify the quality of manuring materials and the method of their application. The NPOP standards state the permission and prohibition of certain products in the organic farms. There are also restrictions on the use of some organic products.

Let’s See Some Of The Permitted Manuring Products In Organic Farming:

1. 1. Farmyard manure, slurry, green manures, crop residues, straw and other mulches from own farm.
   2. Sawdust, Wood shavings from untreated wood.
   3. Calcium chloride, limestone, gypsum, and chalk.
   4. Magnesium rock.
   5. Sodium chloride.
   6. Bacterial preparations [ Biofertilizers ] eg: Azospirillum, Rhizobium.
   7. Bio-dynamic preparations.
   8. Plant preparation and extracts like neem cake.
   9. Vermicomposting.

• 2- Restricted Products

There are some manuring products that are organic, but they can be used only after the approval of the certification agency. These products are called restricted products because these are not from the organic source. Therefore, they are allowed to be used by the certification agencies under certain terms and conditions.

These Products Are:

1. 1. Farmyard manure, slurry, urine, straw, etc. from other farms.
   2. Blood meal, bone meal, fish meal, with preservatives.
   3. Minerals like basic slag, sulfate of potash, etc.
   4. Trace elements.
   5. Vermicomposting from other farms.

Pest, Disease, And Weed Management

The use of synthetic or chemical pesticides, fungicides, and weedicides is prohibited in organic farming. Natural enemies and predators are to be encouraged and protected on the farm itself. Products collected from the local farm, animals, plants, and micro-organisms and preparation done in the farm are allowed for the control of pests and diseases. For example: Neem seed kernel extract, cow urine spray, etc. Use of Genetically engineered organisms and products are prohibited for controlling pests and diseases. Similarly, synthetic growth regulators to induce growth, ripening, etc. are not permitted.

Slash weeding is to be done between the crop plants. Weeds under the base of the plants should be cleaned and put as mulch around the plant base. The cut weed material should be spread over the ground surface to act as mulch.

• 1- Products Permitted For Plant Protection

Neem oil and other neem preparations like neem seed kernel extract, cakes; Chromatic traps, Mechanical traps, Pheromone traps, Plant based repellants, soft soap, and clay.

• 2- Restricted Products

These products are used when it is absolutely necessary and after taking environmental impact into consideration. Consultation with certification agencies is necessary for using these materials on the farm.

1. 1. Copper based preparations like Bordeaux mixture.
   2. Plant and animal preparation [ Cow urine spray, Garlic extract, Chilly extract ].
   3. Light mineral oils [ Kerosene oil ].
   4. Release of parasites, predators of insect pests.
   5. Use of Sulphur.
   6. Viral, fungal, and bacterial preparations [ Biopesticides ].

Soil And Water Conservation

Measures like stone pitching and contour wall constructions are to be taken up to prevent soil erosion. In the case of saline soils, saline resistant varieties may be grown. Judicious irrigation and soil moisture conservation measures are to be practiced. Mulching is recommended. Pollution of surface and groundwater should be prevented. Clearing of primary forest is prohibited. Clearing of land through straw burning or plant residue should be restricted to the minimum.

Contamination Control

It is necessary to take various measures to minimize the contamination in the organic farms from outside and also within the farm.

The Following Precautions Are To Be Taken Up:

1. • If neighboring fields are non-organic, a buffer zone should be maintained. The height of buffer crops should be twice the height of organic crops and the width of the buffer should be 25-50 ft. for example: if chilly is grown as the main organic crop, castor or agathi can be grown as buffer crop. The crops grown in the buffer zone should be sold as non-organic.
   • If the farm is under conversion, equipment used for conventional areas should be well cleaned before using in organic areas.
   • Products based on polythene, polypropylene, and other polycarbonates are allowed to cover protected structures, insect netting, nursery, drying, etc. subjected to the condition that these materials should not be burnt or incorporated in the soil. Use of polychloride-based products like PVC pipe is prohibited.

Processing

Processing techniques like solar drying, freezing, drying, hot air chambers are permitted. Irradiation of agricultural produce is not permitted. No synthetic additives or dyes are to be added during processing.

Labeling

The label should convey clear and accurate information on the organic status of the product, for example, the level should clearly indicate the product is obtained during conversion or from the certified organic farm. The label for organic and conversion in progress products should be distinguishable by different color labels. The details like the name of the product, quantity, name, and address of the producer, name of the certification agency, certification lot number, etc. are to be clearly written on the cover of the product and lot as a whole.

The lot number is helpful in tracing back the product particularly the field number in which it is grown. Lot number should include the crop, country, field no., date of harvest, and production year.

Packaging

For packing organic food products reusable materials like clean jute bags should be used. The use of bio-degradable materials is also permitted. Unnecessary packaging materials should be avoided. Organic and non-organic products should not be stored and transported together except when labeled properly in order to avoid any mix-up.

Social Justice

Social rights and justice are an integral part of organic farming. The farmer has to take into consideration these aspects also. The laws relating to labor welfare and the rights of women and children should be honored. All employees of the organic farm and their families should have access to potable water, food, housing, education, transportation, and health services. All employees should have equal wages when doing the same job. They must have equal opportunities irrespective of color, creed, and gender. Social security needs of the employees of the farm including maternity, sickness, and retirement benefits should be met. The rights of indigenous people should be respected.

Documentation

Documentation of farm activities is a must for acquiring the certification, especially when both conventional and organic crops are raised simultaneously at any farm.

• The Documents That Are To Be Maintained By The Farmer Are:

1 – Field map.
2 – Field history sheet.
3 – Activity register.
4 – Input record.
5 – Output record.
6 – Harvest register.
7 – Storage record.
8 – Sales record.
9 – Pest control records.
10 – Movement records.
11 – Equipment cleaning records.
12 – Labeling records.