How many years does it take to certify dairy cattle for organic milk production?
A. There is a one time opportunity for a farm to transition their entire herd by feeding 100% certified feed for a year. After the transition only animals that were treated organicly three months from birth can be certified. This rule is for dairy animals. For beef animals only the second option is allowed. Q. It takes 36 months from the time of application, I believe, for crop land to be certified organic. However I understand this process can be expedited if the person seeking the certification can go back in the field’s history and “testify” that the land has not received organic inputs in the form of seed, fertilizer, etc. Is this correct? A. Yes, the term is an organic field affidavit. It can be used to bring in fields that have been under organic standards for 3 years or more. Whoever has been managing the fields for the preceding three years needs to sign and have notarized a statement stating that. It helps to have FSA records to show what crops have been grown on the fields. O
