Organic Path microsite

• Introduction
• Why go organic?
• Is Organic for you?
  • Organic Farming
  • Transition
  • Standards and Regulation
  • Certification Bodies
• Preparing for Transition
  • Goals
    • Clarifying Your Goals
  • Evaluating Your Assets
    • Capital
    • Marketing
    • Physical
    • Skills
  • Assessing the Opportunity
  • Organic Premium
• Building the Foundation
  • Understanding Impacts of Organic Transition
  • Write Things Down!
  • Record Keeping
    • Maintaining an Audit Trail
    • Records
    • Preparing for the First Inspection
    • Record Keeping Resources
  • Understanding Costs and Revenues
    • Calculating Costs
    • Assessing the Impacts of Transition
    • Additional Resources
      • Sample Budgets
      • Produce Profitability Calculator
  • Business, Strategic and Operational Planning
    • Why Plan?
    • Components of a Business Plan
    • Strategic vs. Operational Planning
    • Business Planning Resources
  • Building Your Network
• Understanding Risks
  • Thinking About Risks
  • Common Transition Risks
    • Changes in Yields
    • Knowledge and Experience
    • Intrinsic Productivity of Land
    • Crop and Livestock Varieties
    • Cash Crunch
    • Input Costs
    • Labour
    • Equipment Requirements
    • Price
    • Market Access
    • Weather
• Strategies & Tactics
  • Production
    • Identify Potential Impact on Yields
    • Use Conservative Estimates
    • Going Cold Turkey
    • Phasing Out Chemicals
    • Transitioning Parts of Operation
    • Starting From Scratch
    • Picking a New Crop
    • Find a Partner/Mentor
    • Make Smart Equipment Choices
  • Timing
    • Planning Your Entry
    • Delaying Your Entry
    • Planning Your Exit
    • Luck
    • Move Deliberately, But Cautiously
    • Don’t Overgrow Your Capacity
    • Verify Customer Demand
    • Examine Historical Trends
  • Business and Financial
    • Strategic Reserves
    • Separate Business from Personal
    • Start off Small
    • Renting Land
    • Selling Land
    • Diversification
    • Control Expenses
    • Don’t Quit Your Day Job
    • Partnerships and Alliance
    • Value Your Time
    • Pricing
    • Buy/Lease/Rent/Borrow?
    • Use Debt Effectively
    • Contracts
  • Knowledge & Experience
  • Strategic Tactics for Managing Risk
    • Backup Plans
    • Scenarios
    • Risk Exposure Assessment
    • Insulate and Isolate
    • Wait, Watch and Ride the Big Waves
• Marketing
  • Marketing Strategies for Certified Organic
  • Labeling
  • Pricing
  • Marketing Options
    • Farm Gate Sales
    • Farmers Market
    • Community Supported Agriculture
    • Institutions
    • Retail Outlets
    • Restaurants
    • Wholesale
    • Sales to Processors
    • Value-Adding
    • Export
    • Internet Sales
    • Cooperative Marketing
    • Culls
    • Contracts
    • Value Chain Relationships
    • Protect Yourself (Legal, Deals in Writing)
    • Maximize Resources and Sales
• Resources
  • Organic Resource Websites
  • Magazines, books and videos
  • Support personnel
  • Courses & Conferences
  • Apprenticeship and Mentorship programs
  • Organic membership-based organizations
  • Specific crop/practice organizations
  • Government programs
    • Regional/Federal
    • Provincial
• Words of Wisdom

This project was funded through the New Opportunities and Business Development Investment Initiative (NOBDI) under the Renewal Chapter of the Canada-Nova Scotia Agricultural Policy Framework Agreement.