Organic Framing

Standards

• Standards are rules of production for organic agriculture.
• They determine the production process within the ecological and social environment through which the product emerges.
• There are standards at various levels.

International Standards

• International standards are those standards for organic agriculture approved by international bodies and recognised by legal authorities.
• E.g. Codex Alimentarius Commission guidelines.

IFOAM Basic Standards

• They were first published in 1980.
• Since then they have been subjected to biennial review and publication.
• These basic standards define organic products grown, produced and handled.
• They reflect the current state of organic production and processing methods.

Codex Alimentarius

• The codex guidelines for organically produced food will be regularly reviewed at least every four years based on given codex procedure.

Regional / Supranational Standards

• Different regions in the world are involving regional or supranational standards for organic agriculture. E.g. European Union Council’s regulations.
• European Union Council’s Regulations
• The European Union regulation on organic production lays down minimum rules governing the production, processing and import of organic products, including inspection procedures, labelling and marketing for the whole of Europe.
• Each European country is responsible for enforcement and for its own monitoring and inspection system.
• Applications, supervision and sanctions are dealt with at regional levels.

National Standards

• National standards are basic organic agriculture standards prepared by respective countries on the basis of which detailed standards are prepared by certification agencies and statutory boards for the development of crops.
• Some of the national standards are,
1. USDA Standards
2. Canadian Organic Standards
3. Australian Organic Standards
4. Organic standards
• The use of synthetic pesticides, weedicides and agro-chemicals led to contamination of products and the quality of the produce is under question.
• Thus, pesticide residue laboratories were set up to test the pesticide contamination in food and drink, but it did not prevent terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem on land and water.
• Thus, the clean and uncontaminated food can only be obtained by growing than in places, which is not contaminated and not applied with toxic chemicals.
• The standards are set which makes the food products to be grown under specified conditions, using only permissible inputs, following organic principles during growing, harvesting, processing, packing and transportation and the same came to be known as ‘Organic Standards’.
• Organic standards are sets of definitions, requirements, recommendations and restrictions regarding the practices and materials that can be used within certified organic production and processing systems.
• Organic standards also cover such aspects as the transport, storage and marketing of organic products.
• Organic standards typically contain lists of materials that are permitted as farm and processing inputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides and food additives.
• All other materials should be considered as prohibited unless the relevant certification programme approves their use.
• Organic standards generally emphasis the use of good management practices to minimise the need for inputs wherever possible.
• Organic standards address such broader aspects as biodiversity, native vegetation retention, waterway management, animal husbandry, ethics and waste management.