What is Organic Centre Wales (OCW)? OCW is the national resource for consumers, farmers and policy makers committed to more sustainable food and farming in Wales. Set up in 2000, it delivers projects to support the organic sector for the Welsh Government.[link:about::About the Centre

site map

For producers  |  Going organic  |  Working with producers  |  Technical information  |  Soil and fertilty management  |  Government support

The Organic Conversion Information Service (OCIS)

OCIS is a free service funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. Its purpose is to help you understand what the implications of conversion would be for your farm business, so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not go organic. If you do, it will also help you prepare your application to your chosen organic certification body and for support from the Welsh Assembly Government.

The information we provide is totally impartial. We are not trying to persuade you to convert. Rather, our job is to make sure that if you do, you fully appreciate the challenges you are likely to meet, and the changes you will have to make. We are completely independent of any certification body, marketing company, input supplier or service provider.

There are several aspects of the service, including:

A telephone helpline (01970 622100)

This is the first point of contact for most people, and gives you the opportunity to discuss any queries and concerns you may have at the outset. Our helpline officers, Philip Jones and Tony Little, have 19 years on the job between them, and have helped literally thousands of farmers in that time.

An information pack

This includes information on organic farming principles and practices; technical guides and factsheets relevant to your system; organic certification; Welsh Assembly Government support; and the latest news from the UK and Welsh organic sectors.

Advisory visits

You can receive up to three on-farm advisory visits. The advisory team is drawn from five consultancy companies (ADAS, The Organic Advisory Service, Abacus Organic Associates, Agriplan Cymru, and Kite Consultanting) and all consultants are accredited by the Institute of Organic Training and Advice (IOTA).

The first visit looks at the suitailty of your system for conversion in general terms and should enable you to identify any major barriers early on. The second visit looks at the issues identified in the first visit in much greater detail and is effectively the first step in the conversion planning process. By the end of the second visit, you should have enough information to decide whether or not conversion is approriate for you. If you do want to go ahead, the third visit is designed to help you with your application to your chosen organic certification body and the Welsh Assembly Government for support payments.