Supporting organic through transitional food

Many farmers hesitate to switch to organic agriculture because they fear the transitioning period. They envision three struggling years in which they are neither conventional nor yet fully organic. The main issue for a farmer during the transitional period is that the land will be farmed according to the organic rules, so at a higher cost, but the harvest is sold at the conventional price. A new concept of “certified transitional” is about to emerge, explains Shape Online magazine. Therefore, labelling a product at its right value, meaning transitional, could become the right compromise.

Currently, several organizations certify crops as transitional. The organic certifier QAI, Inc. (Quality Assurance International) announced earlier this year that their wheat biscuits with dark cocoa karma from the brand Kashi would be the first cereal they will certify as transitional. Other organizations such as CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) and Oregon Tilth, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to supporting organic food and farming in Oregon, has also decided to support this new concept.

According to Shape, the Organic Trade Association OTA has submitted a standard to USDA for a certification programme that would be overseen by the federal government and would align 100 percent with organic standards, with the only exception being that the fields would be between 1 and 3 years into transition. The association is proposing that the phrase "USDA certified transitional" for both produce and finished grocery products should be regulated. The first certified transitional foods should be out on the shelves by early next year.

Most consumers are concerned about the amount of synthetic pesticides in their produce. Buying certified transitional products can benefit customers by enabling them to get food that has been managed without them. The percentage of synthetic pesticide-free crops would be smaller than for organic food since the guidelines for QAI's certified transitional programme don't line up perfectly with the organic standard. In order to receive the organic seal, the product has to contain at least 95 percent of organic ingredients. For the transitional certification, only 51 percent of the merchandise has to contain transitional substances. For foods with the stamp "made with organic” 70 percent is sufficient.