Organic Farming | TRADE FOR DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

Organic Farming

www.ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic

Organic farming has developed on a global scale and on a legal foundation. It represents a complex system of national and regional initiatives which mutually recognise one another.

Explanations

The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) has created this definition: “Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.”
In Europe, a European Commission Order relating to organic farming has been in force since 1991. But it was only in March 2000 that the first “EU organic farming label” was launched, based on this Order. The new EU organic farming logo offers consumers’ confidence about the origins and qualities of their food and drink and its presence on any product ensures compliance with the EU organic farming Regulation.
From July 2010 the EU organic logo is obligatory for all organic pre-packaged food products within the European Union. It is also possible to use the logo on a voluntary basis for non pre-packaged organic goods produced within the EU or any organic products imported from third countries.
In Belgium, Biogarantie is the organic farming label par excellence. It certifies organic products made in our country or those, which, although originating abroad, offer a guarantee system that is at least equivalent.
In France, the equivalent is the “AB” label issued by the Agence Bio. In the United States, the “USDA Organic” label is administered by the US Department of Agriculture.
“Organic farming is not a phenomenon that is exclusive to developed countries. In 2006, it was being practised in 120 countries on a total of 31 million hectares, and represented a market of 40 billion dollars”, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It brings vital benefits, in particular in terms of food security and providing farmers with a sustainable livelihood.

In brief

Creation date:

1987

Based at:

Antwerp and Gembloux.

Origin/need:

Biogarantie came into existence following a lack of legislation, control and certification for organic farming produce.

Sector:

Agriculture.

In Belgium:

Food and any other produce from agriculture or cultivation: foodstuffs, textiles, cosmetics, cleaning products.

What is guaranteed:

That organic farming produce is grown, processed and sold in accordance with the European CE 834/200 legislation.

Stakeholders:

NGOs, public authorities, experts, businesses.

Beneficiaries:

Independent producers, cooperatives, factories, businesses/brands, point of sale outlets, communal kitchens, restaurants.

Type of assessment:

Third party.

Methods:

Analysis of the documentary system, pre-announced and random inspections, interviews with internal stakeholders.

Sector activities concerned:

Production, import/export, distribution, public awareness.

Requirements:

The specifications of Biogarantie (foodstuffs) and Ecogarantie (cosmetics, cleaning products and sea salt) are available on the website www.BioForum.be.

Room for manoeuvre:

Various sanctions are provided in the event of non-conformities: simple comment, needs improvement (under commitment in writing or not), warning, enhanced control, declassification of land parcel or lot, removal of certification of a product or an operator.

Improvement procedure:

No, apart from catering.

Did you know ?

Sometimes national organic labels are more stringent than the European regulations. Thus, unlike the latter, the Biogarantie label imposes criteria for product packaging:
Unnecessary packaging must be avoided. As far as possible, preference should be given to recyclable or reusable packaging.
More information on organic farming: ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic
More information on Biogarantie (Belgian system): www.BioForum.be

How do I get the certification ?

How do I get Organic Certification as a producer ?

Any economic operator wishing to put “bio” on an agricultural product within the EU must comply with the European regulations on organic farming.

Their production premises and methods must be inspected and approved by the inspection agency or authority.

Each grower, processor or importer of organic food products must be inspected at least once a year, in order to comply with the regulations. This process is monitored by the member States of the EU.

In this regard, each member State is responsible for setting up an inspection system and competent authorities to ensure compliance with the organic farming regulations.

Three possible scenarios:

- The producer is located within the EU:

> Apply to an accredited (national) inspection agency. In Belgium, these are Certisys and Blik/Integra.

- The producer is located outside the EU:

> Apply to an accredited and approved inspection agency if there is one. In Argentina, these are Food Safety, Argencert, Letis and OIA. The agency manages inspection and import procedures.

> Apply to a European inspection agency accredited by the importing country. This will travel to carry out the necessary inspections and will produce an import application. When this has been accepted, the agency will issue a batch certificate, which will accompany the products across the EU.

If it is established that an operator in the chain is in breach of the statutory regulations or those of the inspecting agency, the latter or the inspection authority may prohibit it from marketing its products under the organic label.

How do I get Organic Certification in Belgium as an enterprise situated in Belgium?

Become a member of BioForum.

Sign a contract with Blik/Integra or Certisys: Any business (producer, processor, importer, point of sale, distributor) wishing to put a reference to organic farming on its products must:

- Notify its activity and agree to comply with the technical documentation (parcel measurements, etc.);

- Have its activities assessed;

- Sign an agreement for use of the logo;

- Pay the royalties (costs).

How much does the certification cost ?

Royalties:
producers 75 EUR/year; points of sale 38 EUR/year or 62 EUR/year if turnover is more than 100,000 euros; processors 0.05% of turnover.

Costs of certification:
> Points of sale: 200 to 650 euros according to turnover.

> Producers: basic amount of 215 euros per site + amount per hectare ranging from 2.5 euros for grassland to 2,118 euros for mushrooms + an amount per animal ranging from 0.004 euros for snails to 3.9 euros for cows, mares and sows.

> Processors: 0.36% for turnover of less than 1,250,000 euros, sliding scale percentage for anything over this amount. An amount of between 234 and 517 euros depending on the complexity of the assessments is also payable.

> Distributor/Wholesaler/Trader: same as for processors, except that turnover is multiplied by a coefficient of 0.15 before making the calculations.

The costs of additional assessments will be charged at 606 euros per day at the site, including travel costs, and 454 euros per day of office work.

Interview

Interview:

ORGANIC AND FAIR TRADE IN SRI LANKA
Set up in Sri Lanka in 1993, Bio Foods is a company which exports organic products, mainly tea spices, natural herbs and coconuts.
It buys these products from small producers who normally cultivate plantations of about a hectare and who belong to a subsidiary cooperative called SOFA (Small Organic Farmers Association).

The co-operative helps new members to process and manage their crops so they can become certified as organic producers. It also guarantees them a fair income and participation in decision-making, and brings them into the fair trade system (certified by FLO). From 183 farmers in 1997, SOFA has now grown to almost 1900. Interview with Anil Yapa Bandara, Export & Business Promotion Manager at Bio Foods.

Why did you choose organic certification?
Partly our way of looking at things, partly a desire to produce crops without using pesticides, in order to preserve the planet for future generations. Also, there was a growing demand from our customers for organic products. The need for guarantees on the part of our overseas customers and the effect on marketing also came into the equation. We wanted to position ourselves as the most environmentally aware organic producer in South Asia. Apart from satisfying our customers, we also wanted to adopt a fair trade approach in order to satisfy our employees and the farmers who work for us. Because, for us, organic production also means being part of an equitable community-based approach. The objective was to work for a sustainable future, mindful of the social development of communities of small producers, who are growing products that are healthy for the planet.

Was certification difficult to obtain?
To obtain organic certification, producers have to embark on a process lasting three years. This is the period required to ensure that crops are free of pesticides. The field inspections are carried out annually on each plantation. We help them during this operation, and over the three years Bio Foods continues to buy their harvests and sells them through another subsidiary called Eco Foods. If we don't provide this aid to farmers during the transition period, there is a strong risk they will go back to conventional farming. We give them our know-how from our research and development centre, for example to develop new products, and we also transfer knowledge concerning biodynamic agriculture.

What is the cost of certification? The cost of obtaining certification is paid by Bio Foods and amounts to 70,000 USD a year. It is a high cost, but it covers almost 3000 producers.

> www.biofoodslk.com
CERTIFICATIONS: BIO EUROPÉEN, BIO SUISSE, USDA ORGANIC,
JAPANESE AGRICULTURE STANDARDS, CEYLON TEA QUALITY, FOREST
GARDEN PRODUCTS, FLO

We wanted to position ourselves as the most environmentally aware organic producer in South Asia.

Extracts from a discussion with small producers at the Sofa office at Gampola, Sri Lanka.
SOFA HAS BEEN FLO CERTIFIED SINCE 1998 FOR TEA AND SINCE 2006 FOR SPICES

What does fair trade mean for you?
Since we have been working within the fair trade system, we have obtained additional income from sales of our products.
Previously, we earned about 1 USD a day. Now, we earn three times as much. This allows us to invest in new seeds to develop our crops. But it has also allowed social development within our communities:
We help people in poverty, we have developed sports facilities, and built houses and a well to obtain fresh water. We have also developed environmental programmes, planting new trees and cleaning the plantations.
Some producers have also started beekeeping. This system encourages biodiversity.

Have women also benefited from these changes?
Yes, in fact a development programme has been designed for them. It is based on the manufacture of small boxes out of palm leaves, in which tea is packed. This brings them additional income, which allows us to contemplate a better future for our children. We are now working with the concept of setting up a prosperous and environmentally aware society. Training programmes have also been set up for everybody, with courses on computer studies and also on agriculture itself, with sessions explaining how to combat soil erosion, how to correctly maintain a plantation, prepare compost, etc. Producing without pesticides also has a positive effect on our health, as chemical products are very harsh on the eyes and skin! Finally an education programme has been launched to fund the purchase of school equipment for primary and secondary school children, and to help young people start university studies.

What has changed since you've had your own plantation? (Previously, it belonged to big landowners)
First and foremost, we can choose the teas or spices we want to grow. This is an important decision, as it takes more than three years for a tea bush to produce a harvest. Thanks to the cooperative system, we now have a say in the matter. Everyone is entitled to vote and can stand in the regional elections. Everyone can express their opinion, whereas before only the leaders could take decisions.

ORGANIC, FAIR AND SUSTAINABLE, IN PERU

Cepicafe, which forms part of the Norandino cooperative, was set up in 1995.
Originally consisting of 400 coffee producers, it now numbers 7000, in 90 primary organisations, located in the regions of Piura and Nor-oriente in Peru.

Two million Peruvians depend on coffee production. 90% of the producing families own a plot of land of between 0.5 and 10 hectares. Today, Peru has become the world's leading producer of organic fair trade coffee. Interview with Santiago Paz Lopez, joint manager of Cepicafe.

What is the background to coffee production in Peru?
We began our activities in a difficult environment.
Piura is not a major production area in Peru. Before 1990, middlemen profited from the lack of organisation of the peasant farmers, paying them very low prices for coffee that was not of the best quality. Fair trade was therefore an opportunity for small growers, as it allowed them to improve their working conditions and to receive a guaranteed minimum price and prefinancing, and gave them access to international markets. In addition, importers operating in accordance with the rules of fair trade are generally more flexible than those in the conventional market. For small farmers facing this situation for the first time, it is easier, as their mistakes, especially in administration and procurement, are judged less severely. Today, the country exports 1,050 million quintals of coffee, with strong growth since 2004-2005.
Belgium is the third biggest European importer of Peruvian coffee after Germany and the UK.

Which certifications have you chosen and why?
From the start, we opted for organic certification, which in my view fully complements fair trade certification. We also have Rainforest certification, which was a requirement for the UK market. Since 1997, we have also been working with FLO certification.
In the beginning it wasn't too complicated, but over the years it has become a bit more complex and the requirements are not always easy to satisfy given the situation on the ground. There are a lot of documents to fill in for small producers who are not used to dealing with so many administrative procedures. Often, their documents are not filled in properly. A second problem that does not take into account everyday realities is child labour. Here, it is normal for children to help their parents in the plantations; it forms part of their education and training, alongside school education. The parents are teaching their children their future work. And when they say this in the documents they have to hand in during inspections, they receive a warning. But that's the reality in Peru …
Fair trade also requires the organisation to have a trade union. But from our point of view, this is only useful in a conventional business - in an organisation of producers it doesn't make sense, as the owners and the trade union members would be the same people. So it isn’t a priority …

How much does certification cost?
FLO certification costs about 15,000 USD. It is paid by Cepicafe. Rainforest costs 8,000 USD. It is less demanding than organic and fair trade certification, but it has brought about fewer changes for us.

What were the major changes you saw after certification?
Initially, we were producing “dried coffee”, which is the traditional product of Peru. It is a strong coffee, containing a lot of caffeine. For the overseas market, we have started producing “washed coffee”, which is milder and of better quality.
In more general terms, we have seen great economic, social and political changes. Small producers don't normally have an important place in the world. Pooling our resources has empowered us. We are now a sizeable economic group recognised by the government as a key player in development, due largely to our exporting capacity. On the other hand, we get pressure from the market because we apply minimum prices. You could say that growth also has its problems …

> www.cepicafe.com.pe
CERTIFICATIONS: FLO, RAINFOREST ALLIANCE, BIO LATINA, USDA ORGANIC, NATURLAND

Other information

A response to the environmental and social challenges

Organic farming represents one of the many alternative agricultural systems that have sprung up in response to major current ecological and social challenges (food insecurity, soil degradation, water contamination, health hazards, falling farm incomes).
The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) points out that conversion to organic farming results in higher incomes for farmers, together with guaranteed access to the market; this leads to better health for their family and greater access to food, education and essential healthcare services. The health of the agricultural environment is also improved and local communities are empowered. In short, conversion to organic agriculture has the capacity to establish sustainable livelihoods for farm families and their communities1.
1. Socio-Economic Effects of Organic Agriculture in Africa, IFOAM, 2007

Search form

News