Referral Bonus Application
OCIA is offering a $100 referral bonus for currently certified OCIA operators who refer a producer to us! The referral bonus is valid after the new operator has paid their certification fees. To apply for a referral bonus, complete the form below.
Referral Bonus Form
Learn more about organic agriculture and the organic certification process.
Should you transition to organic?
The decision to transition a conventional operation to organic is deeply personal. Organic certification requires resources, like time and money, and perseverance in the face of the challenges that you will inevitably encounter along the way. Is transitioning to organic the right step for your operation?
Organic System Plan: what they are, what to include
Everyone seeking organic certification–whether they are applying for initial certification or renewing their certification for the seventeenth year–must submit an Organic System Plan (OSP). The OSP is the foundation of the organic certification application, and it provides certification agents and reviewers with a thorough understanding of how an operation complies with organic regulations.
Healthy Soil: The foundation of organic farming
If you’re transitioning your conventional farm to organic, you might be wondering where exactly to start. Taking those first tentative steps into the world of organics can be overwhelming, and it’s all too easy to get lost in a mountain of information. Having a solid foundation for your operation is key.
Every operator’s path to organic certification is different. Learn more about about the different paths to organic certification in our “Operator Spotlight” series.
10,000 Acres: Kollasch Family Transitions Large Operation to Organic
Matt Kollasch and his father were operating a 10,000-acre conventional farm when they made the decision to transition to organic. The cost of operating conventionally had become unsustainable.
Randy Mosel: chapter support aids organic transition
The loss of his dairy cows led Randy Mosel to transition his operation to organic. “My cows were fed a TMR containing homegrown alfalfa, corn silage, ground corn, and earlage,” Mosel recalled. At the time, Mosel treated his fields with synthetic inputs to control pests and weeds.
A Passion for Sustainable Farming: Edelman Certified Organic Farm
Sustainable farming is Brad Edelman’s passion. The Kansas farmer, who began farming full time with his father in the 1980s, hasn’t used chemicals on crops since he was a teenager. “When Brad was around 14 years old, he sprayed corn with 2-4-D,” his wife, Teresa Edelman, said. The year’s wet conditions prevented cultivation, and using the synthetic herbicide to help the crops grow seemed like the best option at the time.