Dealing with neighbours
Neighbours should be informed of your intention to become a certified organic grower. Depending on the individual relationship, this may be best done in conversation, or in writing. Your certifier may be able to supply a form letter designed for this purpose. Include local government and any public utilities in your contact list, as they may apply chemicals too. Many government authorities, such as the Plague Locust Commission, now keep a register of the location of organic farms.
Where there are unprotected boundaries, the conversion plan should include the establishment of windbreaks. Usually these will be best planned as multi-row, multi-species tree breaks. Until these are established, crops may need to be set back from the boundary. Most certifiers do have a requirement for some biodiversity areas within the farm, and, planned and managed well, windbreaks can perform this function as well.
Where multi-row windbreaks cannot be established, the certifier may impose a requirement for crop along the boundary (eg the outer two or three rows of orchard trees, or several header-widths of cereal crops) to be separately harvested and marketed as conventional produce.
Remember that neighbours are entitled to spray their land, but not yours. Ask them to take wind direction into account when spraying. If they inform you before they spray, you can observe the weather and the precision of their application, to satisfy yourself that no contamination occurs. Most people want to do the right thing. They also know that they may be held responsible for loss of markets if they contaminate your produce. If contamination does occur, immediately notify your certifier, the Department of Agriculture, the EPA and local government. Arrange for plant samples to be taken ASAP, by an organic inspector, the Department of Agriculture or an independent agriculture consultant.
