May 13, 2025 in Berry News

On the Path to Organics: Meet the 'Organic In-Conversion' Blueberries

You might have spotted something new on some of our blueberry packs lately: the words “organic in-conversion.” It’s an exciting development that we’re genuinely proud of, and it means our blueberries are on their way to becoming fully certified organic. But what does “in-conversion” actually mean, and why can’t we just call them organic right now? Let’s explain.

What Does ‘Organic In-Conversion’ Mean?

Here’s the straightforward answer: ‘in-conversion’ means a farm is actively transitioning to organic farming practices but hasn’t yet completed the full certification process.

You can’t just flick a switch and become organic overnight.

Once a farm stops using synthetic pesticides and prohibited substances, the land itself needs time to naturally cleanse itself of any residues from previous farming practices. During this transition period, the produce can’t be labelled as “Certified Organic” yet, but it can be called “organic in-conversion.”

How Long Does Conversion Take?

The conversion period typically takes between 12 months and three years, depending on the land and what was previously used on it. Throughout this time, the farm operates under organic farming principles—no synthetic chemicals, no prohibited substances—while the soil gradually returns to its natural, chemical-free state.

This process is carefully managed and supervised by certification bodies to ensure all the right steps are being taken. It’s not a casual transition; it’s a rigorous, monitored journey toward achieving productive, healthy organic farming.

For our blueberry and sweetest batch farms, we’re working hard to ensure our soil fertility, plant nutrition, and pest control methods adhere to the best organic farming principles. We can’t wait for the day when these blueberries earn their full Certified Organic status!

Why This is a Natural Step for Driscoll’s

If you’re familiar with how we grow our berries, this move toward organic farming probably won’t surprise you. Driscoll’s has always prioritised growing as naturally as possible, so organic certification is really a continuation of values we’ve held all along.

Our Approach to Natural Growing

Natural breeding methods:

We have never genetically modified our plants. We develop new berry varieties through traditional cross-breeding techniques; carefully selecting parent plants with desirable traits (like better flavour, firmer texture, or natural pest resistance) and cross-pollinating them to create improved varieties.

Cross-breeding works with the natural genetic variation that already exists within plants, while GMO involves inserting genes from completely different organisms. Think of cross-breeding as matchmaking between compatible partners, while GMO would be like adding tiger DNA to a tomato; fundamentally different approaches.

Disease and pest resistance through breeding:

Our research and development programme focuses on breeding berries that are naturally more resistant to diseases and pests. By selecting plants with these traits, we reduce the need for intervention in the first place. It’s a proactive approach rather than a reactive one.

Careful site selection:

We carefully select berry-growing nurseries in areas where the soil is naturally as free of pests and disease as possible. Starting with healthy land means less need for pest control measures from day one.

Never irradiated:

We’ve never used irradiation on our plants or berries. Our focus has always been on natural growing methods that preserve the integrity of the fruit.

All of our nurseries where ‘organic in-conversion’ berries are being grown are now completely free of any synthetic chemical usage, operating fully under organic farming principles.

What Makes Organic Farming Special?

So why go through this lengthy conversion process? What makes organic farming worth the effort and commitment?

Sustainable and environmentally friendly. Organic farming works with natural systems rather than against them. It builds healthy soil ecosystems, supports beneficial insects and wildlife, and avoids synthetic chemicals that can impact the broader environment.

Focused on soil health. Organic farming prioritises building rich, living soil through natural composting, crop rotation, and other techniques that improve soil quality over time. Healthy soil grows healthier plants.

Finding Our Organic In-Conversion Blueberries

You can find our ‘organic in-conversion’ blueberries in selected supermarkets across Australia. Look for the special labelling on the pack, we’re making it clear so you know exactly what you’re getting.

These blueberries are grown with the same care, attention, and passion as all our berries, with the added commitment of organic farming principles. They’re still the plump, sweet, delicious Driscoll’s blueberries you know and love, they’re just on an exciting journey toward full organic certification.

Looking Ahead

We’re genuinely excited about this significant step toward organic certification. It represents years of planning, considerable investment in better farming practices, and a deep commitment to growing berries in the most sustainable, environmentally responsible way possible.

The path to organics is a long one, but we believe it’s absolutely worth it. We’re proud to be on this journey, and we hope you’ll join us by trying our organic in-conversion blueberries when you spot them in store.

Seasonal
availability