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CT NOFA > Programs > TOPP (Transition to Organic Partnership Program)

TOPP (Transition to Organic Partnership Program)

TOPP IS A NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS PARTNERING TO SUPPORT TRANSITIONING AND EXISTING ORGANIC FARMERS

Latest TOPP News

Organic Transitions: Joanne Charon and Autumn Harvest Orchard
September 23, 2025
Joanne Charon, owner of Autumn Harvest Orchard, is proud to be able to provide organic produce for her community. “It gives people a choice to purchase and enjoy fresh CT Grown Organic produce, which is totally different than what’s in the big box store,” she says. “Fresh, organic produce is higher in vitamin and mineral properties, and we are committed to growing all fruits, berries, herbs, nuts, and vegetables in healthy soil using ORMI fertilizers and pest control measures.”
Read More →

What is TOPP?

CT NOFA is proud to be a Core Partner in the Northeast Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), a mentorship program that pairs experienced organic producers with producers who are transitioning to organic. This community agreement is sponsored by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and will continue through October of 2027.

HOW TO TAKE PART IN THE TRANSITION TO ORGANIC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

CT NOFA will be connecting paid organic certification mentors to mentees for one year. The mentorship program is ongoing and applications will be accepted throughout 2025. CT NOFA staff will assist with helping mentee farmers to navigate the organic certification process. 

We welcome partner non-profit or public organizations to work with CT NOFA to provide community building opportunities, technical assistance, train-the-mentor support, and workshop and field day activities covering topics including organic production practices, certification, conservation planning, business development, regulations, and marketing.

ct nofa is currently accepting applications for:

Mentor Farmers

who have at least 3 years' organic farming experience working directly on farm production, business management, and/or organic certification. This could include experience as an employee, manager, or owner of an organic operation or someone with at least 3 years experience with organic certification.

Mentee Farmers

who have at least 2 years' experience owning or operating a farm including owners, employees, or managers. If you are planning to transition an operation to organic, in the process of transitioning an operation to organic, starting a new certified organic operation, and/or are interested in technical assistance, we welcome you to apply to join our mentorship program.

Learn more

Questions or concerns? Click below to contact us.

SIGN UP TO BE A MENTOR
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE MENTORSHIP
CONTACT CT NOFA

Please note that application does not guarantee acceptance.

Organic Transitions

Learn more about farms and farmers who have transitioned to Certified Organic through TOPP.

Organic Transitions: Joanne Charon and Autumn Harvest Orchard
September 23, 2025
Joanne Charon, owner of Autumn Harvest Orchard, is proud to be able to provide organic produce for her community. “It gives people a choice to purchase and enjoy fresh CT Grown Organic produce, which is totally different than what’s in the big box store,” she says. “Fresh, organic produce is higher in vitamin and mineral properties, and we are committed to growing all fruits, berries, herbs, nuts, and vegetables in healthy soil using ORMI fertilizers and pest control measures.”
Read More →

testimonials

Steadfast farms logo

I wanted to thank [CT NOFA] again for your help and support. I have officially submitted our application to become CT's only Certified Organic Poultry Slaughter and Processing facility. Thank you again for all you do and I'm excited for the future.

Aaron McCool

Steadfast Poultry Processing and Farm

assawaga farm logo

It feels great to be able to help a fellow farmer out with starting their farm. There are so many little questions that come up along the way and I think it's been helpful for my mentee to get second opinions and other advice. It was really helpful for me to visit her farm to really understand the lay of the land and get the full picture.

Yoko Takemura

Assawaga Farm

star light gardens logo

Being able to help [my mentee] see the application process as approachable and less intimidating was very satisfying, because my wife and I understood how intimating the process can seem when taking over managing Star Light Gardens. Accepting my own ability to be a mentor as well as committing myself to something besides the farm operation were equally challenging but also rewarding to overcome and realize I had the time and ability.

Joel Smith

Star Light Gardens

TOPP mentorship is going great. I think [CT NOFA] made the right match with me and Adam [Mentor], which I am very thankful for.

Ben Hefferon

Farmington Valley Fungi

the hickories ridgefield logo

I love to be able to share with a new grower and help them expand.

Jacelyn Slattery

The Hickories of Ridgefield

The best part is sharing my farm experience and knowledge as well as my experience as an organic inspector/reviewer.

Frederick Schafer

CURRENT Participating Farms

RESOURCES FOR TOPP PARTICIPANTS

CT NOFA TOPP Events

No events currently scheduled

TOPP Partner Events

No events currently scheduled

Stay informed of topp related events in the northeast/mid-atlantic region

Click below to find additional virtual and in-person seminars related to TOPP program topics from across our region.

View Events

Technical assistance and educational resources

Farmer Roundtables

Provided courtesy of the New Connecticut Farmer Alliance

Cover Cropping on Small Farms

Greenhouse Tomato Growing

Scaling Up the Small Farm

Technical Assistance Resources

The Organic Farming Research Foundation provides a centralized collection of technical tools, guides, and research resources designed to support organic and transitioning farmers across the U.S. Inside the Hub, you’ll find:

  • Research summaries
  • Factsheets and guidebooks
  • Webinars and videos
  • Tools curated from the nation’s top organic institutions and organizations

Webinars from Rodale Institute give you firsthand access to their staff and research, no matter where you’re located. Visit their website to view and register for upcoming broadcasts. You can also navigate to an archive of their previous webinars to watch at your convenience.

Organic Farming Research Foundation
Rodale Institute

MOFGA (the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) offers a variety of free educational resources, covering topics such as:

  • Becoming MOFGA Certified Organic – Producer Toolkit Brochure
  • MOFGA’s Farmer Programs
  • Organic Certification Video Series
  • Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA)
  • MOFGA Pest Report
  • Record Keeping Example Forms
  • ATTRA Organic Farming Resources and Library

UCONN’s Solid Ground program offers a limited amount of free one on one consultations, with specialists in certain fields of knowledge, to Beginning Farmers in Connecticut. These consultations are intended for individuals who have been farming for 10 years or less, but folks can apply if they have been farming for longer than this period of time.

mofga certification services
SOLID GROUND CONSULTATIONS

Program news

Organic Transitions: Joanne Charon and Autumn Harvest Orchard
September 23, 2025
Joanne Charon, owner of Autumn Harvest Orchard, is proud to be able to provide organic produce for her community. “It gives people a choice to purchase and enjoy fresh CT Grown Organic produce, which is totally different than what’s in the big box store,” she says. “Fresh, organic produce is higher in vitamin and mineral properties, and we are committed to growing all fruits, berries, herbs, nuts, and vegetables in healthy soil using ORMI fertilizers and pest control measures.”
Read More →
Hoadley Hills Farm Now Certified Organic
August 20, 2025
Hoadley Hills Farm (South Kent) is the first certified organic livestock farm in Connecticut. They produce pasture-raised pork, chicken, turkey, and eggs, as well as grass-fed and pasture raised beef.
Read More →
CT NOFA Seeks Farmer Feedback Regarding ‘Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Rule’
August 5, 2025
With the aim of providing technical support to farm businesses, CT NOFA is reaching out to better understand how the new Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Rule affects Connecticut-based organic handlers, co-packers, and processors—and how we can support you. The survey takes approximately 3-5 minutes to complete.
Read More →
Steadfast Farms Offers Poultry Processing Discounts to all NOFA Members
August 4, 2025
Steadfast Farms (Bethlehem, Connecticut), a member of CT NOFA’s 2025 TOPP cohort, is proud to offer discounted certified organic poultry processing services for active NOFA members of any chapter. Steadfast can process both birds raised in certified organic conditions and those raised conventionally. Additional fees for certified organic bird processing are waived for all active NOFA members.
Read More →