Recently, South Dakota has seen a surge in organic farming. Now many farms are beginning to make the transition towards the organic method of farming. But the certification process can be a big hurdle for many. Earning your organic certification in South Dakota is important if you want to sell officially organic crops or products, and benefit from an increase in profits.
You can work with certification agencies throughout the country to earn your certification. But our team finds that it’s often easiest to work with an agency from your own state. That’s why we put together a list of organic certification agencies in South Dakota. Their primary function is certifying livestock production, organic crop production, and processing.
4 Organic Crop Certification Agencies in South Dakota
This crop certification agency, Organic Certifiers (OC), will assign you to a client representative who will guide you through the entire certification process.
Quality Assurance International
QAI has been a pioneer in the organic industry for over 25 years and offers to provide a timely, efficient, and diligent certification process.
International Certification Services, Inc.
With an experienced customer care base, ICS offers to serve every client’s certification needs.
Established in 1997, Global Organic Alliance, Inc offers to provide courteous service to all certification needs.
5 Steps to Organic Certification in South Dakota
Finding an organic certification agency from South Dakota isn’t the only step to earning your certification. The transition to organic farming takes time and careful planning. There are always more details to consider, but we can break down the process into 5 simple steps.
Pro tip – Using ORMI certified organic fertilizer will help fast track your transition. Crop Fertility Services has the right products and tools to get you started.
1. The first step is to adopt organic best practices. Steps such as maintaining your soil fertility with OMRI certified manure pellets and planning crop rotations can all make the transition to organic simpler.
2. Once you have fully adopted organic methods of crop farming, you should contact a USDA-accredited certifying agent. This agency will help you along as you submit your first application forms.
3. Once the agency reviews your application, they will initiate an on-site inspection of your organic farm.
4. After the inspection, your application is reviewed for a final time. The certifying agent either confirms your organic certification or lets you know what you need to work on.
5. When you receive your organic certificate, you can officially start growing and selling your crops as USDA certified organic.
Throughout your transition to organic farming in South Dakota, remember that resources are everywhere. All of your suppliers are industry experts. The team at Crop Fertility Services has years of experience working with farms in every step of their transition. So, our conversations don’t have to start and stop with manure.
We have the knowledge to answer your questions and connect you with all the tools you may need. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been certified for a decade, we’re here to help you get the most out of your organic crop farm. Call us today with your biggest question about transitioning to organic farming.
If you are looking for affordable, accessible, and nutrient rich manure for your organic farm, consider chicken manure pellets for crops. Contact us today to learn more.
