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California leads the U.S. in organic farms, land in organic production and organic sales. In 2023, there were more than 3,300 organic producers in the state, according to the latest California Department of Food and Agriculture report.

As more growers consider transitioning to organic production, a new statewide webinar series is aimed at guiding them through the process.

The series was sponsored by Community Alliance of Family Farmers (CAFF) and the University of California, began in January 2026 to support farmers transitioning to organic production. The free series featured weekly sessions led by University of California scientists, technical experts and growers with firsthand experience.

“It gave an overall view of what it’s going to entail, what are the regulations you’re going to have to work with and deal with.”
— David Long, Bear-L Orchard and Farms

Meeting a Growing Demand
“This is the first time UC ANR has partnered with CAFF to offer such a series focused on transition to organic,” said Margaret Lloyd, UCCE organic agriculture and small farms advisor for Yolo, Sacramento and Solano counties. “Ultimately, we hope to provide the resources, community and support to folks who want to make a successful transition.”

Katharina Ullmann, training and technical assistance coordinator at the UC Organic Agriculture Institute, said demand for more in-depth information became clear during workshops held across the state.

“Standalone workshops are great, but there is a lot of information to cover in a two- or three-hour workshop,” Ullmann said. “We thought it would be helpful to have a longer, regular series, where we would have a whole hour to dig into a specific transition topic.”

The series was designed to address the wide range of challenges growers face when transitioning to organic production.

“This series brought together technical assistance providers and farmers to explore the full range of challenges producers face when transitioning to organic, from certification and market considerations to management practices, biodiversity, recordkeeping and inspections,” said Grace Jackson, the Central Valley regional lead for CAFF’s Farmer Services team.

What the Series Covers

The Transition to Organic Webinar Series ran at noon every Wednesday from Jan. 14 to March 18, 2026. Each session included a 75-minute presentation and discussion, followed by optional office hours.

Topics include:

• Certification process

• Market dynamics

• Soil health and soil amendments

• Pest and weed management

• Other key aspects of organic production

Office hours are organized and sponsored by CAFF, UC Cooperative Extension and the UC Organic Agriculture Institute.

“If people have specific questions about their organic system plans, or their specific operation, or if they have more questions for the presenters, there’ll be time to do that,” Ullmann said.

The meetings are recorded and videos are posted to the UC Organic Agriculture Institute YouTube page, Ullmann said.

“If that Wednesday time just never works for someone, yeah, they can watch the recordings afterwards, and then they can also always reach out to us if they have specific questions about transitioning,” Ullmann said.

Grower Input
One grower participating in the series is already applying what he’s learned in the field.

David Long, owner of Bear-L Orchard and Farms, manages about 40 acres of walnuts, Hartley and Franquette varieties on black walnut and Paradox rootstocks.

Long previously farmed conventionally but is now considering transitioning to organic, in part due to what he described as “neglect.” In some areas, invasive plants have taken over portions of the orchard.

As he works to revitalize the orchard and remove invasive species, Long began exploring organic production as a potential path forward.

He found the webinar series helpful, particularly in understanding certification requirements.

“With an affidavit, I can state that I have not added any type of inorganic supplement and ground cover,” he said, adding long story short, he can submit the affidavit and show he hasn’t used any pesticides or weed abatement to avoid the three-year wait to farm organically.

The webinars also helped him better understand soil health, allowable inputs and the regulatory requirements involved in transitioning to organic. He said the sessions emphasized the importance of proper paperwork and documentation, as well as what can be added to improve soil health.

Pest management remains a key concern for Long, including gophers, moles, ground squirrels and tree squirrels. He said a session focused specifically on organic-approved rodent control options would be beneficial.

Long also explored organic trapping methods for walnut husk fly, which he has used in the past. One presenter in the final session provided some guidance on pheromone traps, but he still needs to research which components are approved for organic use. He added that he has more to learn before fully transitioning.

While many sessions focused on row crops, Long noted that shorter sessions dedicated specifically to tree crops would be helpful.

Overall, Long found the webinars useful. “It gave an overall view of what it’s going to entail, what are the regulations you’re going to have to work with and deal with.”

While recorded sessions were available, Long preferred attending live, where questions could be answered quickly and there was a stronger sense of interaction with presenters and other participants.

Long said he would be interested in more advanced sessions in the future and appreciated the classroom time to ask questions about the process.

A format that would work well for him would be monthly sessions over a four-month period.

Overall, Long found the webinars helpful.

From Certification to Production
The webinar series was structured to walk growers through the transition process step by step.

“The webinar covered everything from the certification process to to organic production practices, and so by the end of the webinar growers got an idea of what they specifically need to do from a paperwork perspective to become certified, and then also from a production perspective,” Ullmann said.

January sessions focused more heavily on certification and paperwork, while February sessions shifted toward production practices. The final sessions address preparation for organic inspections.

“January leans more into the paperwork side of things, and the steps of certification, and then in February, it really starts moving more into production practices, and the last week is preparing for organic inspection,” Ullmann said.

Before a grower becomes organically certified, there is a three-year transition period that begins after the last prohibited substance is applied.

“If the person has been farming conventionally and applying conventional chemicals, they would have to wait for three years from that time. But if, for example, they have a new piece of property that hasn’t been managed for the last three years or hasn’t had prohibited chemicals applied to it in three years, then they could start the application process right away,” Ullmann said.

Designed for Flexibility
While the series is designed as a 10-week program, growers were not required to attend every session.

Participants could attend the full series or select sessions that best fit their needs. More than 300 people registered for the webinar, representing a mix of experience levels and production systems.

“On average, there are about 300 people that get certified every year. Hopefully, people will benefit from it. I think we had a good and interesting lineup of presenters,” Ullmann said.

Looking Ahead
Ullmann sees potential for expanding the program in the future. The series may evolve into alternating topics depending on funding, with crop-focused sessions offered one year and livestock-focused sessions the next.

The goal is to continue building on existing education efforts while providing practical, accessible tools for growers navigating the transition to organic production.

Publisher’s Take

The Big Picture: What to do Next

1. Understand the Three-Year Transition Rule
   Land must be free of prohibited substances for three years before certification, though previously unmanaged land may qualify sooner with proper documentation.
2. Documentation Is Critical
   Accurate records and, in some cases, affidavits verifying past management practices are essential for certification.
3. Leverage Free Educational Resources
   The webinar series and recorded sessions provide practical guidance from UC experts and experienced growers.
4. Plan for Organic Pest and Soil Management
   Growers should research approved inputs and strategies, particularly for pest control and soil fertility.
5. Engage With Technical Assistance Providers
   Office hours and direct access to experts can help tailor organic system plans to individual operations.