TRANSITION TO ORGANIC
Ready to Switch Your Farm to Organic?
What We Do During Your Transition
Land needs 36 months with no prohibited inputs before a crop can be sold as organic. Those three years go faster with a plan. We build it with you, so you can apply the day your land qualifies.
Your Start Date and Land History
We review what has been used on your land and find your real start date, so you do not lose a season.
A 3 Year Plan
A clear plan for each year: what to stop, what to switch, and every input checked before you buy it.
Ready to Apply
We help you choose a certifier and write your Organic System Plan before your land qualifies.
Why Farms Start Their Transition With Us
The transition years are when good habits get built. We set up your records and your plan early, so applying is the easy part.
Start the Clock Right
We find your real start date and get the proof on paper, so no time is wasted.
Records From Day One
Three years of clean records, ready the day your certifier asks for them.
Apply on Time
Your plan is written and your certifier is chosen before the land qualifies.
Common Questions
How long does the transition take?
36 months from the last prohibited input to the harvest of your first organic crop.
Can I sell my crops during transition?
Yes, but not as organic. You can sell them as conventional crops while you wait.
Can I shorten the 3 years?
Only with proof. If your land has had no prohibited inputs for part of that time and you can show it, that time can count.
What records should I keep?
Everything you put on the land, where your seed came from, and what you harvest and sell. We set up simple logs for all of it.
When should I pick a certifier?
Before your last year of transition. We help you compare certifiers and apply at the right time.
Do you work with farms outside Hawaiʻi?
Yes. We work with farms anywhere in the world by video call and shared files.
The 36 Month Rule in Plain Words
No prohibited substance can touch the land for 36 months before the harvest of your first organic crop. The clock runs field by field, so some fields can qualify before others.
What You Can Sell During Transition
Crops from land in transition cannot be sold or labeled as organic. Sell them as conventional and keep the records. Those records become your proof.
Find Your Date
Add 36 months to the date of the last prohibited input. The free transition date calculator on our Free Tools page does the math.
Who this is for
Farms moving land from conventional to organic, and land buyers who want to know when a parcel could qualify.
When to call us
Call when you stop using prohibited inputs, or just before. The 36 months only count if you can prove the start date.
Our conflict of interest policy is simple: we never inspect an operation we consult for, and your certifier always makes the certification decision. Book a consultation to talk through where your operation stands and what it needs.
Related: Organic Certification for Farms • How to Choose a Certifier • Organic System Plan Writing • Farm Map App • Free Record Templates • Take the free readiness quiz • Organic Input Review