ORGANIC FARMING

Organic Certification and Accreditation

Increased consumption of organic foods has resulted in a budding international organic market. However, lack of established trade guidelines and global organic standards has, to a certain extent, thwarted rapid growth in trade. It is expected that, as these guidelines formalize and global demand for organic product increases, international trade will grow.

Organic certification and accreditation are increasingly important aspects in international production and trade of organic products. There is, at present, no regulation on organic standards applicable worldwide. However, the World Trade Organization and the global trading community are increasingly relying on the Codex Alimentarius (Codex) and the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) to provide the basis for international organic production principles, as well as verification of production systems (i.e., certification and accreditation). The most important guide for organic certification is ISO Guide 65:1996, General Requirements for Bodies Operating Product Certification Systems, which establishes basic operating principles for certification bodies. There is no guide which specifically addresses certification of production methods. Certification ensures that organic products are produced, processed, and packaged according to organic production regulations or guidelines which usually include an assessment of the product process as to minimize environmental impacts (specifically, soil and water quality). Certification also ensures consumers, producers, and traders against fraudulent or misleading labeling of non-organic products by providing transparency as information on certified producing organizations and their products is normally made public.

The accreditation process, conducted by an independent accreditation body, evaluates a certifier’s inspection and certification procedures, as well as that organization’s ability to remain free from vested interests. There is no international regulation on who may or may not carry out accreditation. However, several countries have designed official accreditation and certification bodies in addition to the many independent organizations worldwide.

US Certification Standards

The proposed organic standards require that any livestock or edible livestock product to be sold, labeled, or represented as organic must be maintained under continuous organic management from birth or hatching until brought to market. However, there are four exceptions:

• Poultry or edible poultry products must be from animals that have been under continuous organic management beginning no later than the second day of life.
• Milk or milk products must be from animals that have been under continuous organic management beginning no later than 1 year prior to the production of such products.
• A non-edible livestock product, such as wool, must be derived from an animal that has been under continuous organic management beginning no later than 1 year prior to the harvest of the nonedible product.
• Breeding stock may be brought from a non-organic operation into an organic operation at any time, provided that, if such livestock are gestating and the offspring are to be organically raised from birth, the breeder stock must be brought into the organic operation prior to the last third of pregnancy.

The producer of an organic livestock operation must also maintain records sufficient to preserve the identity of all organically managed livestock and all edible and non-edible organic livestock products produced.

European Certification Standards

For organic livestock production, the main areas covered by standards in addition to those covering inspection, certification, labelling and general requirements for organic products, are (1) Conversion, (2) Breeding, (3) Welfare and environment issues, (4) Nutrition, (5) Health management, (6) Transport and slaughter and (7) Social justice. The detailed husbandry standards of organic farming are primarily based on the principles of enhancement and exploitation of the natural biological cycles in soil (e.g N fixation, nutrient cycling in the soil), in crops (e.g. manipulation of competitive ability of crops and populations of natural predators of crop pests) and in livestock (e.g. rumen digestion in ruminants, development of natural immunity in young animals, interruption of host/pathogen relationships). In addition, there is strong emphasis on optimising animal welfare, avoidance of pollution and improvement of the environmental infrastructure of the farm.

• A two year conversion period is required between the last application of a prohibited substance and the sowing of the first full organic crop.
• The crop rotation must have a balance between fertility building crops (e.g. grass) and exploitative crops (e.g. cereals, potatoes).
• Permanent grassland is permitted.
• Conventionally produced FYM (from ethically acceptable livestock systems) may be brought in but must be composted prior to application.
• Fertilisers such as lime and rock phosphate, which are slowly soluble in the soil, are permitted but soluble mineral fertilisers are prohibited.
• Most manufactured agrochemicals are prohibited but some natural biocides are permitted.
• Where there are both organic and conventional units on the same farm, it is prohibited to have the same livestock species on both units.
• No grazing of non-organic livestock on organic land, except for a limited period only.
• Livestock must have access to pasture during the growing season.
• Housed animals must be provided with bedding - totally slatted systems are prohibited.
• Ruminant livestock must be fed a diet which is at least 60% green forage, on a daily dry matter basis (i.e. maximum 40% concentrates).
• For ruminants, at least 60% of the annual DM feed intake must be produced on the unit itself.
• Livestock diets must be based principally on organically produced feedstuffs but a small proportion can be of conventional origin (maximum 10% of annual dry matter intake).
• Feeds derived from genetically modified organisms, fishmeal, urea and solvent-extracted feeds, are prohibited.
• Livestock health policy must be based on preventative management strategies - aimed at minimising disease challenge and maximising the animal’s ability to withstand the challenge; no routine treatment of healthy animals with drugs, except in the case of a known farm problem. However, chemotherapy of individual sick animals is permitted, although withdrawal periods are extended. Maximum of three courses of treatment permitted per individual per annum.
• The inspection and certification scheme is operated on an annual basis. Detailed records of inputs must be kept and the farmer has to submit an annual return describing the inputs to each field/livestock enterprise.

Indian Certification Standards

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development Authority (APEDA) through National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) has national standards for organic production of agriculture and animal husbandry. The recommendation made in its report of 2005 suggest that any decision the farmer makes - for example, on grassland management, on housing, on reproductive pattern - he should place the highest priority on the likely impact on livestock health. Whilst livestock systems vary enormously and it is difficult to generalise, some of the elements, which have been suggested for inclusion in preventive health strategies, are listed below:

• Self contained herds and flocks
• Appropriate choice of breed
• Breeding for disease/parasite resistance
• Suckling with mother
• Natural weaning
• Access to pasture during the growing season
• Adequate nutrition: high forage, limited cereal
• Regular monitoring of feed, physiology and health (e.g. silage, milk and urine, faecal worm egg counts)
• Establishment of a clean grazing system; e.g. Low stocking rates, alternating from year to year (sheep/cattle), mixed grazing (sheep/cattle), mixed age groups,  use of hay/silage aftermaths etc.
• If indoor accommodation is required: Adequate space allocation, good ventilation and
• Adequate supply of dry bedding

For more details about Indian organic standards for agriculture and animal husbandry visit e-Library………

Last updated: 04-1-2008