Transition to Organic Partnership Program
As part of USDA’s $100 million Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), the ASU Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems is serving as the state lead to support farmers across Arizona as they transition to organic farming systems.
This is a nationwide collaboration led by the National Organic Program that will build programs specifically designed for farmers transitioning to organic practices and will include farmer-to-farmer mentorship, technical assistance, workforce development and community-building initiatives. This work is funded by a five-year cooperative agreement overseen by the Western/Southwestern Regional Center for Organic Transition, housed at the non-profit organic certifier California Certified Organic Farmers.
The Swette Center is also leading the nation’s data collection and monitoring efforts to create a learning environment that aids partners across the country in understanding their impact and making the most of this historic investment in the future of organic agriculture.
Through TOPP, we are creating an improved and strengthened organic infrastructure that will better serve producers, support the growing interest in organic production and strengthen consumer trust in the USDA organic label.
TOPP mentorship
We are actively seeking to match experienced and knowledgeable certified organic producers in Arizona who are passionate about organic production and interested in sharing their expertise with TOPP mentees.
We welcome partner non-profit or public organizations to work with us to provide community-building opportunities, technical assistance, train-the-mentor support and workshop and field day activities covering topics such as organic production practices, certification, conservation planning, business development, regulations and marketing.