With the window for organic conversion payments now open in England, how can Soil Association Certification support farmers in organic conversion?

With the window for organic conversion payments now open in England, how can Soil Association Certification support farmers in organic conversion?

Natural England is offering financial support to farmers and landowners converting to organic, through its Countryside Stewardship offer. The funding application window is now open for both mid-tier and higher-tier payments.

Application packs for Higher Tier must be requested by 9th March and submitted by 13th April. Application packs for Mid-Tier must be requested by 31st May and completed by 31st July 2018. 

Liz Bowles, Head of Farming at the Soil Association, said: “This is a really good time to convert to organic. The launch of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan this month confirmed what we’ve been hearing from Michael Gove for some time: that there is going to be a renewed focus on preserving and enhancing our environment, and a commitment to protecting our soils. Farming is going to need to play an integral role in achieving this, and the fundamental principles of organic – such as enhancing our soil health, working with our ecosystems, and caring for our environment – are wholly in line with the ambitions being set out by government.

“We also know that the public demand is there for organic produce – people are becoming ever more aware of how their food is produced, and we’re now in our sixth year of consecutive market growth for organic in the UK, so there are good opportunities for farmers who want to meet that demand.”

Soil Association Certification certifies organic farmers, offering a comprehensive and competitive support package that can assist farmers through their conversion period. Belmont Farm started the process of converting their beef and lamb production in 2016. They sell rare breed meats, and their pork is already certified organic.

Henry Rossiter, Belmont Farm Estate Director, said: “Our choice to certify with the Soil Association was based primarily on the organisation’s place in the market and on its wider educational and campaigning role. At the end of the day the Soil Association is the most-recognised organic certifier, world-wide, and its strict rules on animal welfare are important for our customers. We deal directly with our customers, which makes all the difference. We hope this will inspire people to learn about food and where it comes from. ”

The Soil Association Certification business support package includes:

• A dedicated Certification Officer, offering practical and proficient support throughout the life of your certification
• Use of the UK’s most widely recognised organic symbol, used on more than 70% of UK organic products
• Supply chain support, including free access to the Food for Life supplier scheme
• Discounts for farming programmes such as Innovative Farmers
• Free marketing support for key organic campaigns, such as Organic September
• Support from our policy teams, who campaign for farmers on important issues, directly to Government

If you’re thinking about converting to organic, find out more about organic certification and conversion at www.soilassociation.org