Organic Framing

Codex Alimentarious Guidelines

• In 1991, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint FAO / WHO food standards programme began developing guidelines for the production, processing, labelling and marketing of organically produced foods.
• The guidelines include general sections describing the organic production concept and the scope of the text, description and definitions, labelling and claims (including, products in transition/conversion), rules of production and preparation including criteria for the substances allowed in organic production; inspection and certification systems; and import control.
• Guidelines for the production, processing, labelling and marketing of organically-produced foods adopted during 1999.
• During 2001, it included sections ensuring livestock and livestock products and bee keeping and bee products.
• In earlier guidelines (IFOAM), only organic farming and processing were included, but in codex labelling and marketing are included codex guidelines are widely adopted throughout the world.