USDA Certified Organic

S.D. Specialty Producers Association

Dr. Angela K. Jackson, USDA TOPP Organic Ag Transition Advisor & Organic Ag Advisor

Email | 605-624-1966

SDSPA Organic Operators Chapter

S.D. producers and handlers involved in organic crop and livestock production or are interested in transitioning into this industry, hold monthly virtual producer meet-ups. Contact SDSPA to learn more.

Sensitive Crop Production & Pesticide Damage

Pesticide drift is the aerial movement and unintentional deposit of pesticide outside the target area. If you suspect you have damage your first step is to contact SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

DriftWatch^® Specialty Crop Site and BeeCheck^® Apiary Registry are on-line sensitive site registry programs for South Dakota available through FieldWatch^®. This national registry is a voluntary communication tool that enables crop producers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators to work together to protect specialty crops and apiaries through use of mapping programs.

South Dakota State of Organic Report

Slide Presentation, Organic statistics for S.D. and resources. By Angela Jackson, SDSPA, April 2024.

South Dakota Organic Resource Guide

Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP)

TOPP is a network assembled by the USDA’s National Organic Program to support transitioning organic producers with technical assistance and educational resources.

• Plains Region TOPP Program
• S.D. Specialty Producers Association is a regional partner. Contact us for technical assistance.

Educational Program

• Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), TOPP is a network assembled by the USDA’s National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and resources.
  • Plains Region TOPP Program
  • S.D. Specialty Producers Association is a regional partner. Contact us for technical assistance.
• Organic Regenerative Agriculture Pathway Program (O-RAPP), SDSPA
  • South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) has entered into a Conservation Collaborative Cooperative Agreement with NRCS to promote regenerative organic practices within the state. SDSPA aims to equip producers with the knowledge and skills to adopt organic regenerative agricultural practices.
• Rodale Institute
  • Rodale Institute is a prestigious 501(c)(3) global nonprofit dedicated to growing the regenerative organic agriculture movement through groundbreaking research, innovative direct farmer support programs, and rigorous education initiatives.They are headquartered on a 386-acre certified organic farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The Institute has been a leader in organic farming in the United States and around the world for over 75-years.
• South Dakota Soil Health School
  • The SD Soil Health Coalition sponsors this event each fall, rotating the location around the state. The agenda features classroom style presentations from producers and technical experts from across the state and region, as well as hands-on experiences in the field. Area producers will also share their challenges and successes with various methods for improving soil health.
• Soil Health Academy
  • A non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization committed to empowering regeneration through education, the Soil Health Academy helps farmers first UNDERSTAND, and then effectively apply nature’s proven regenerative agriculture principles. Their mission is to cultivate healthier soil, food, farms, and communities, paving the way for a healthier future.

Financial Program

• Mad Ag
  • Mad Ag is inspired by the Mad Farmer poems of Wendell Berry, which call us to rework society and agriculture with love, community and lots of radicalism. Mad Capital’s loan financing was designed to enable stewards to achieve their goals, and to work with nature, rather than against it. 

USDA-AMS Organic Market Reports

These organic reports provides price, volume, and related information for commodities and products that have been grown, processed and certified to USDA’s National Organic Program standards.

Buyers, Brokers and Handlers in South Dakota

• Regenerative Organic Alliance Brand and Product Directory
• Central Plains Organic Farmers Association
• OFARM

Marbleseed Organic

Formerly known as the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), Marbleseed was established in 1995 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to supporting farmers in their transition toward sustainable, organic farming systems that are ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially just.

USDA National Agricultural Library- Organic Production Tools

Organic production is a system that integrates cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. On this page, find subject guides, legislation and regulations, production information, oral histories, and other resources for farmers and ranchers.