Organic farming can mean higher grain prices, but what about lower yields, more equipment, three years of transition, and a mountain of paperwork? Greg Schreiner, co-founder of Quick Organics, returns to Farm4Profit to break down what the transition can actually look like, the economics behind it, and new tools designed to make organic certification and recordkeeping easier.
Greg Schreiner of Quick Organics returns with some major updates, including collaboration with USDA around the Common Organic System Plan and new tools designed to simplify one of the biggest headaches in organic farming: recordkeeping. Quick Organics now combines its Organic System Plan tools with an activity tracker and digital filing cabinet, allowing producers to document field activities, seed labels, cultivation dates, and certification records from their phones.
But this conversation isn't about convincing every farmer to go organic. It's about helping the "organic curious" understand whether it could make financial sense for a portion of their operation. Greg tackles concerns about yield loss and explains why he believes 180–200+ bushel organic corn combined with organic premiums can create compelling gross revenue potential.
They also break down the equipment needed to make the transition, including tine weeders, rotary hoes, cultivators, manure sources, and GPS technology. Greg estimates a producer could potentially assemble the additional equipment needed for under $75,000 and explains why starting with 80 or 160 acres may make more sense than transitioning an entire farm at once.
Finally, Greg explains the three-year organic transition window, why timing the transition matters, and how producers may be able to position their third crop for organic pricing when the process is planned correctly. With conventional margins under pressure, this episode explores whether adding organic production could become another tool for diversifying revenue and improving the farm's overall bottom line.