What are ofi's "transitional" almonds and what does "transitional organic" mean? First, it's important to understand a bit about farming our practices - at a high-level, there are two main types of farms: conventional and organic. Many farms start with conventional farming, but due to an increased demand for organic foods, a lot of farmers and agribusinesses transitioned to organic. The period of transitioning from conventional to organic is called "transitional". The crops grown during this 3-year period is known to be called “transitional crops”.

Transitional is neither Conventional nor Organic 

ofi’s transitional almonds are neither conventional nor organic. Although transitional crops lack organic certification, they undergo rigorous quality control measures during this transition period. ofi’s transitional almonds come from orchards that are currently in the conversion period of going from conventional to organic. We follow organic practices from day one, but they cannot be ‘certified organic’ until after three full growing seasons because the transition period allows trees, soils, etc. to become completely free from any pesticides or other chemicals that cannot be present in certified organic products.

ofi follows all guidelines mandated and proposed by the USDA-accredited organic certification body to ensure our transitional crops are grown within a sustainable environment and without the use of conventional synthetic pesticides.

Why does ofi Support Transitional Farming?

Becoming a certified organic farm can be formidable, dire, and not to mention very expensive. We believe that supporting transitional farming not only reduces farmers’ financial risk, but also broadens the scope of organic farmland.

Therefore, transitional almonds are basically organic "almonds-to-be". While almonds are the only transitional crop we have right now, we hope to carry more in the future.

Want to learn more about organic farming?

There are many benefits to organic farming, including adherence to prescribed cultivation practices and ensuring to keep the planet safe.

Want to learn more? Check out this blog on certified organic nuts!