Code of practice for organically produced foods -DCS/ CRS 13:200X” Part 1 General Principles
CROSQ Template for Member
State Comments; the
DOAM ORGANIC AGRICULTURE STANDARD
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These standands were drafted by DOAM in 2008 to meet both USDA and EU Organic Standards. In early 2009, they were revised as they went through public consultation. They are presented here in pdf format to download.
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Excerpts from
the DOAM Organic Agricultural Standards:
General Approach
The approach to organic standard setting taken by DOAM in Dominica reflects the unique situation of Dominican producers and consumers, and is oriented towards stimulating both organic production and marketing. Dominica’s standards are established for internal markets, but compatible with both the USDA National Organic Program and European Union Standards so that producers and handlers who might be interested in export markets would be able to obtain the applicable certifications.
The standards first of all serve as an educational function, and thus are relatively simple and readily understood. They do not attempt to encompass all possible sectors of organic production and processing.
The livestock standards are intended to be attainable by small producers who sell to local markets only; in the event that organic livestock products are intended for export, producers should be certified according to the relevant external body.
These standards only cover processed products that contain 95% or more organic agricultural ingredients to align with the revised European Union regulation. If there is interest in exporting complex multi-ingredient processed products that contain some non-organic agricultural ingredients labeled as “Made with Organic ingredients”, please follow the requirements of the USDA National Organic Program.
A Dominica based certification program will be designed as simply as possible, starting as a registration and affidavit system. Ultimately, the Bureau of Standards could assume the role of certifying body, and every effort should be made to coordinate with other Caribbean countries in a region-wide organic standard and certification program.
1.1 Scope of the DOAM Organic Standards
These standards apply to production or handling operations or specified portions of a production or handling operation that operates within the territory of the Commonwealth of Dominica, and produces or handles crops, livestock, livestock products, or other agricultural products that are intended to be sold, labeled, or represented as having been produced and/or handled according to organic methods.
1.1.1 These standards apply to the following:
· Unprocessed agricultural crop and livestock products;
· Processed agricultural crop and livestock products intended for human consumption;
· Feeding stuffs, compound feeding stuffs and feed materials; and
· The production and handling of organic inputs
· Other items intended for human consumption, not limited to articles of clothing, medicines and other household items.
1.1.2 The products of hunting and fishing of wild animals shall not be considered as organic production.
1.1.3 These standards are intended to:
· Establish private standards governing production and in the future be used a blue print to establish national standards governing the production and marketing of certain agricultural products as organically produced products
· Assure consumers that organically produced products meet a consistent standard.
Agricultural inputs
All substances or materials used in the production or handling of organic agricultural products.
Agricultural product
Any agricultural commodity or product, whether raw or processed, including any commodity or product derived from livestock, that is produced for human or livestock consumption.
Allopathic treatment
The treatment of a disease by using remedies whose effects differ from those produced by that disease.
Allowed
A substance, ingredient or additive which is permissible in organic production or handling
Annual seedling
A plant grown from seed that will complete its life cycle or produce a harvestable yield within the same crop year or season in which it was planted.
Authorized Representative
Person or entity that is authorized by DOAM to carry out business for or on behalf of DOAM
Ayurvedic
Traditional Indian system of medicine
Biodegradable
Subject to biological decomposition into simpler biochemical or chemical components
Biodiversity
The variety of life forms and ecosystem types on Earth. Includes genetic diversity (i.e. diversity within species), species diversity (i.e. the number and variety of species) and ecosystem diversity (total number of ecosystem types).
Breeding
The selection of plants or animals to reproduce and/or to further develop desired characteristics in succeeding generations
Buffer zone
A clearly defined and identifiable boundary area which is documented and rationalized as such bordering an organic production site that is established to limit application of, or contact with, prohibited substances from an adjacent areas.
Certifying Agent
An entity accredited by an authorized body as a certifying agent for the purpose of certifying an organic production or handling as certified.
Commercially available
The ability to obtain a production input in an appropriate form, quality, or quantity to fulfill an essential function in a system of organic production or handling, as determined by the certifying agent in the course of reviewing the organic plan
Commingling
Physical contact between unpackaged organically produced and non-organically produced agricultural products during production, processing, transportation, storage or handling, other than during the manufacture of a multi-ingredient product containing both types of ingredients.
Compost
The product of a managed process through which microorganisms break down plant and animal materials into more available forms suitable for application to the soil.
Contamination
Pollution of organic product or land or contact with any material that would result in the loss of its organic status
Crop rotation
The practice of alternating the species or families of annual and/or biennial crops grown on a specific field in a planned pattern or sequence so as to break weed, pest and disease cycles and to maintain or improve soil fertility and organic matter content
Exporter
An individual or firm who engages in the business of transporting goods, or commodities to another country for sale or trade.
Feed, Feed Stuff
Edible materials that are consumed by livestock for their nutritional value. Feed should be concentrates (grains) or roughages (hay, silage, fodder). The term, ''feed,'' encompasses all agricultural commodities, including pasture ingested by livestock for nutritional purposes.
Feed additive
A substance added to feed in micro quantities to fulfill a specific nutritional need; for example essential nutrients in the form of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Feed supplement
A combination of feed nutrients added to livestock feed to improve the nutrient balance or performance of the total ration and intended to be: (1) Diluted with other feeds when fed to livestock; (2) Offered free choice with other parts of the ration if separately available; or (3) Further diluted and mixed to produce a complete feed.
Food
Any substance that is used as source of nourishment for animal or human consumption
Food additive
Enrichment, supplement or other substance which can be added to a foodstuff to affect its keeping quality, consistency, colour, taste, smell or other technical property
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering is a set of techniques from molecular biology (such as recombinant DNA) by which the genetic material of plants, animals, microorganisms, cells and other biological units are altered in ways or with results that could not be obtained by methods of natural mating and reproduction or natural recombination. Techniques of genetic modification include, but are not limited to: recombinant DNA, cell fusion, micro and macro injection, encapsulation, gene deletion and doubling. Genetically engineered organisms do not include' organisms resulting from techniques such as conjugation, transduction and natural hybridization.
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)
A plant, animal, or microbe that is transformed by genetic engineering
Green manure
A crop that is incorporated into the soil for the purpose of soil improvement; should include spontaneous crops, plants or weeds
Handle
To sell, process, or package agricultural products, except such term shall not include the sale, transportation, or delivery of crops or livestock by the producer thereof to a handler.
Handler
Any person engaged in the business of handling, storing and transporting agricultural products, including producers who handle crops or livestock of their own production, such term shall include final retailers of agricultural products that do not process agricultural products.
Handling operation
Any operation or portion of an operation that receives or otherwise acquires agricultural products and handles, processes, packages, transports or stores such products.
Handling System Plan
A systematic and logical plan designed to guide an individual, operation or portion of an operation on the proper manner to handle, process, package, transport or store agricultural products.
Habitat
The area in which a plant or animal species naturally exists and the area where a species occurs. Also used to indicate types of habitat, e.g. seashore, riverbank, woodland, grassland.
Homeopathic treatment
Treatment of disease based on administration of remedies prepared through successive dilutions of a substance that in larger amounts produces symptoms in healthy subjects similar to those of the disease itself.
Huckster
A traditional exporter of agricultural and other produce on a small scale.
Ingredient
Any substance, including a food additive, used in the manufacture or preparation of a food or present in the final product although possibly in a modified form
Inspector/Inspection Agent
An independent testing organization that attests to the specifications of a specific code or standard
Irradiation (ionizing radiation)
High energy emissions from radio-nucleotides, capable of altering a food's molecular structure for the purpose of controlling microbial contaminants, pathogens, parasites and pests in food, preserving food or inhibiting physiological processes such as sprouting or ripening.
Labeling
Any written, printed or graphic representation that is present on the label of a product, accompanies the product, or is displayed near the product.
Livestock production
The production of domestic or domesticated terrestrial animals (including insects) and aquatic species farmed in fresh, salt or brackish water. The products of hunting and fishing of wild animals shall not be considered as organic production.
Locally Available/ Local Availability
An ingredient, input, seed or other item which can be obtained or sourced within a delimited geographical area within a reasonable time and cost.
Marketing
Holding or displaying for sale, offering for sale, selling, delivering or placing on the market in any other form.
Mock Recall
Recalling of a fresh or processed organic produce for the purpose of testing an audit trail .
Non-retail container
Any container used for shipping or storage of an agricultural product that is not used in the retail display or sale of the product.
Operator
An individual or business enterprise, responsible for ensuring that products meet the certification requirements
Organic
A labeling term that denotes products that have been produced in accordance with organic production standards and certified by a duly constituted certification body or authority
Organic Inputs
Fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, medicines, additives and supplements which have been produced, proceeded and handled in compliance with organic standards.
Organic Manures
Natural products used nutrients for the crop plants. These include but are not limited to farmyard manure, green manures, compost prepared from crop residues and other farm wastes, vermicompost, oil cakes, and biological wastes - animal bones, slaughter house refuse.
Organic product
A product, which has been produced, processed, and/or handled in compliance with organic standards.
Organic seed and plant material
Seed and planting material that is produced under certified organic management.
Organic feed, organic feeding stuff
Feed, feed materials produced in accordance with the rules of a pertinent organic standards, and duly certified as such.
Organic matter
The remains, residues, or waste products of any organism
Organic system plan
A plan of management of an organic production or handling operation that has been agreed to by the producer or handler and the certifying agent and that includes written plans concerning all aspects of agricultural production or handling described in these standards.
Parallel Production
The growing of the same crop or indistinguishable crop variety both organically and non- organically by the same operation.
Pasture
Land used for livestock grazing that is managed to provide feed value and maintain or improve soil, water, and vegetative resources
Person of High Repute
An Extension officer, Justice of the Peace, Parish Priest, Carib Chief, Chairman of the Village Council, and similar designated person who may vouch for an individual in the case where no farm or production records are present or where land is not in need of conversion.
Preparation, processing
The operations of preserving and/or processing of agricultural products (including slaughter and cutting for livestock products), and also packaging and/or alterations made to the labeling concerning the presentation of the organic production method of the fresh, preserved and/or processed products.
Processing aid
Any substance or material, not including apparatus or utensils, and not consumed as a food ingredient by itself, intentionally used in the processing of raw materials, foods or its ingredients, to fulfill a certain technical purpose during treatment or processing and which result in the non-intentional, but unavoidable presence of residues or derivatives in the final product.
Producer
A person who engages in the business of growing or producing food, fiber, feed, livestock, organic inputs and other agricultural-based consumer products.
Production
The operations on the agricultural holding involved in producing, packaging and initial labelling as products of organic production
Production lot number
Identification of a product based on the production sequence of the product showing the date, time, and place of production used for quality control purposes.
Prohibited substance
A substance the use of which in any aspect of organic production or handling is prohibited or not provided for in this standard
Records
Any information in written, visual, or electronic form that documents the activities undertaken by a producer, handler, or certifying agent to comply with this standard.
Restricted
A substance, ingredient or additive which is permissible only under specific recorded circumstances in organic production or handling.
Sewage sludge
A solid, semisolid, or liquid residue generated during the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works. Sewage sludge includes but is not limited to: domestic septage; scum or solids removed in primary, secondary, or advanced wastewater treatment processes; and a material derived from sewage sludge. Sewage sludge does not include ash generated during the firing of sewage sludge in a sewage sludge incinerator or grit and screenings generated during preliminary treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment works.
Shall
A Compulsory action
Should
An Optional action
Slaughter stock
Any animal that is intended to be slaughtered and is fit for consumption by humans or other animals
Split Production
The growing of the different crops both organically and non- organically by the same operation.
Substrate
A surface on which an organism grows or is attached
Sustainable
A method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.
Synthetic
Any substance manufactured by chemical and industrial processes. Should include products not found in nature, or simulation of products from natural sources (but not extracted from natural raw materials)
Vermicompost
A type of compost utilizing various species of worms and creating the assorted mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and pure vermicast produced during the course of normal vermiculture operations. This mixture is used to supply nutrients for crops.
Wild crop
Any plant or portion of a plant that is collected or harvested from a site that is not maintained under cultivation or other agricultural management
DOAM
Dominica Organic Agricultural Movement Inc.
EU
European Union
IFOAM
International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements
NOP
The National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products. The NOP also accredits the certifying agents (foreign and domestic) who inspect organic production and handling operations to certify that they meet USDA standards.
SC
Standards Committee
USAID
Organic agriculture is a sustainable production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological balance. Organic production systems seek to provide food, fiber and herbal products of the highest quality in sufficient quantities. The following principles are the foundation of organic management methods:
2.1.
Protect the environment, minimize pollution, promote health and optimize
biological productivity;
2.2.
Replenish and maintain long-term soil fertility by providing optimal conditions
for soil biological
activity;
2.3.
Maintain diversity within the farming system and its surroundings and protect
and develop
plant and wildlife habitat;
2.4.
Recycle materials and resources to the greatest extent possible within the farm
and its surrounding
community as part of a regionally organized agricultural system;
2.5.
Provide attentive care that meets both the health and behavioral requirements
of farm animals;
2.6.
Maintain the integrity and nutritional value of organic food and processed
products through
each step of the process from planting to consumption; and
2.7.
Develop and adopt new technologies with consideration for their long range
social and ecological
impact.
A
producer or handler wishing to market a product as “organic” shall develop a
written organic production or handling system plan that is approved by
DOAM. An organic production or
handling system plan shall include:
3.1
A description of production and/or handling practices and procedures to be
performed and
maintained, including the frequency with which they will be performed;
3.2
A list of each substance, ingredient and plant material to be used as a
production or handling
input, indicating its composition, source,
location(s) where it will be used, and documentation of commercial
availability, as applicable;
3.3
A description of the monitoring practices to be used to ensure that the Organic
System Plan
is being properly implemented.
Examples of monitoring practices include soil and water quality
testing, monitoring of livestock health and body condition, and mock recalls
verifying audit
trail adequacy.
3.4
A description of the recordkeeping system implemented to comply with the requirements
established in these standards, including maintenance of an adequate audit trail;
3.5
A description of the management practices and physical barriers established to
prevent commingling
of organic and non-organic products on a split operation and to prevent contact
of
organic production and handling operations and products with prohibited substances;
and
3.6
Additional information, as requested by DOAM that should be needed to evaluate compliance
with these standards.
4.1
An organic producer or handler shall maintain records concerning the
production, harvesting,
and handling of agricultural products that are or that are intended to be sold labeled,
or represented as “organic.”
4.2
Such records shall:
4.2.1
Be adapted to the particular business that the organic operation is conducting;
4.2.2
Fully disclose all activities and transactions of the organic operation in
sufficient detail as to be readily understood and audited; and
4.2.3
Be sufficient to demonstrate compliance with these standards.
4.3
The organic producer or handler shall make such records available for inspection and copying during normal business hours by authorized inspection
representatives of DOAM and/or certified inspection agent.
5.1
Land conversion:
5.1.1
Land used to produce organic crops, including pasture for livestock, shall
have received
no application of a prohibited substance, as identified in Appendix A, for at least
2 years prior to harvest of the organic crop.
5.1.2 Where no records have been
kept land which has not had any application of a prohibited substance shall be
certified as so by a person of high repute.
5.2
Livestock conversion:
5.2.1
Livestock should be designated as organic for the production of meat . and
livestock products after being maintained under organic management as
specified in Section D.13.
5.2.2
Livestock should graze on pasture or consume forage from land that is in
its third year of conversion as specified in Section B 3.1.
5.3 Split Production
and Parallel Production
5.3.1 Where the whole farm is not
converted (split production) the organic and non-organic parts of the farm
shall be clearly and continuously separate and this shall be verified by
inspection.
5.3.2 Simultaneous
production of organic and non-organic crops or animal
products (parallel production) shall only be
permitted where such
production is undertaken with clear and
continuous separation of all
product claimed as organic and keep adequate
records to show the
separation.
5.3.3 Where farms
engage in split (including parallel) production the use of genetically engineered
organisms is prohibited in any production
activity on the farm.
5.4 The operator shall demonstrate that
the production system does not
involve continuous switching
between organic and non-organic
management.
6.1
Be managed in accordance with the provisions of Sections C.6. through C.11;
6.2
Have had no prohibited substances, as identified in Appendix A, applied to it
for a period of
2 years immediately preceding harvest of the organic crop;
6.3
Have distinct, defined boundaries and buffer zones such as runoff diversions to
prevent the
unintended application of a prohibited substance to the crop or contact with a
prohibited substance
applied to adjoining land that is not under \
organic management.
An Organic System Plan shall identify practices that maintain and improve the agro-ecosystem, in accordance with Sections C.8 through C.11. Such practices should include, but are not limited to:
7.1 Practices that protect soil and water from erosion and contamination from nutrient runoff;
7.2 Practices that recycle organic wastes produced on farm or in the local community for use as a soil nutrient source;
7.3 Practices that improve and maintain biological diversity within the farm, such as hedgerows, wetlands, woodlands, and other means of providing wildlife habitat;
7.4 Practices that attract beneficial organisms and predators of pest species, including bird feeders, bat houses, and amphibian shelters; and
7.5
Practices that integrate crops and livestock, including annual and perennial
cropping systems,
intensive rotational grazing systems, agroforestry and polyculture methods.
8.1 The producer shall select and implement tillage and cultivation practices that maintain or improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion.
8.2 The producer shall manage crop nutrients and soil fertility should include but is not limited to rotations, cover crops, and the application of plant and animal materials.
8.3 The producer shall manage plant and animal materials to maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or r esidues of prohibited substances, as identified in A
Appendix A. Animal and plant materials should be obtained from any source except those identified in Section 8.5, and include:
8.3.1 Raw animal manure, which shall be composted unless it is:
8.3.1.1 Applied to land used for a crop not intended for human consumption;
8.3.1.2 Incorporated into the soil not less than 120 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion has direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles; or
8.3.1.3 Incorporated into the soil not less than 90 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion does not have direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles;
8.3.1.4 In cases where permanent tree crops/ or intercropping systems with permanent trees are managed organically the harvesting of fruits intended for human consumption shall be done in a manner where they do not come into contact with raw manure.
8.3.2 Composted plant and animal materials; and
8.3.3 Un-composted plant materials.
8.4 A producer should manage crop nutrients and soil fertility to maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of prohibited substances, as identified in Appendix A, by applying:
8.4.1 A crop nutrient, fertilizer or soil amendment included on the list of permitted soil fertility inputs in Appendix A; and
8.4.2
Ash obtained from the burning of a plant or animal material, provided
that, the material burned has not been treated or combined with a
prohibited substance or the ash is not included on the list of prohibited soil
fertility inputs in Appendix A.
8.5 The producer shall not use:
8.5.1 Any fertilizer or composted plant and animal material that contains a substance included on the list of substances prohibited for use in organic crop production in Appendix A;
8.5.2 Manures containing human excrement (feces and urine) for use on crops for human consumption.
8.5.3 Sewage sludge; and
8.5.4 Burning as a means of disposal for crop residues produced on the operation: except that burning should be used to suppress the spread of disease or to stimulate seed germination.
8.6 For the production of mushrooms, only the following substrates shall be used:
8.6.1 Farmyard manure and animal excrements from operations that meet these organic standards, or
8.6.2 Non-organic manures and excrements compliant with Appendix A, comprising up to 25% of the substrate, as calculated on the weight of total components before composting (excluding covering material and any added water), and only when the organically produced manures are not available; and
8.6.3 Organically produced agricultural products (e.g. straw);
8.6.4 Peat, not chemically treated;
8.6.5 Wood, not chemically treated after felling;
8.6.6 Mineral products listed in Appendix A;
8.6.7 Water
9.1 The producer shall implement a crop rotation in any crop system that includes annual cultivated crops, including but not limited to soil, cover crops, green manure crops, and catch crops that provide the following functions that are applicable to the operation:
9.1.1 Maintain or improve soil organic matter content;
9.1.2 Provide for pest management in annual and perennial crops;
9.1.3 Manage deficient or excess plant nutrients; and
9.1.4 Provide erosion control.
9.2 The producer shall introduce biological diversity into any annual or perennial cropping system through practices that should include, but are not limited to:
9.2.1 Inter-planting of annual and perennial crops, companion planting, and living mulches;
9.2.2
Pasture and forage mixes containing a diversity of plant species;
9.2.3 Perennial polycultures using diverse food, shade, and wildlife habitat species; and
9.2.4 Integration of livestock into the cropping system.
9.3 The producer shall select crop varieties and livestock breeds as well as crop and livestock species that are suited to the local environment and resistant to pests and diseases, so long as no Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) are deliberately introduced into the agro-ecosystem.
9.4 The producer shall go through at least one rotational cycle every 5 years.
10.1
The producer shall use organically produced seeds, annual seedlings, and
perennial planting
stock to produce an organic crop, except that:
10.1.1 Non-organically produced, untreated seeds and
planting stock should be used to produce an organic crop when an equivalent
organically produced variety is not locally available; The producer shall
document the rational for the necessity of using non organically produced seeds
and planting stock.
10.1.2 Non-organically produced seeds and planting
stock that have been treated with a permitted substance, as identified in
Appendix A, should be used to produce an organic crop when an equivalent
organically produced or untreated variety is not locally available; The
producer shall document the rational for the necessity of using non organically
produced seeds and planting stock.
10.1.3 Non-organically produced annual seedlings
should be used to produce an organic crop when a crop shall be replanted due to
natural disaster, crop failure, or other emergency situation. The producer shall document the
rationale for the necessity of using non-organically produced seedlings. The
producer shall document the rational for the necessity of using non organically
produced seeds and planting stock.
10.1.4 Non-organically produced planting stock to be
used to produce a perennial crop should be sold, labeled, or represented as
organically produced nursery stock only after the planting stock has been
maintained under a system of organic management for a period of no less than 1
year; The producer shall document the rational for the necessity of using non
organically produced planting stock and
10.1.5 Seeds, annual seedlings, and planting stock
treated with prohibited substances, as identified in Appendix A, should be used
to produce an organic crop when the application of the materials is a requirement
of government phytosanitary regulations. The producer shall document the
rational for the necessity of using non organically produced seeds and planting
stock.
10.2
The producer of a crop of edible sprouts should use only organically grown
seeds.
10.3
Prohibited: Genetically modified
organisms (GMO’s) shall not be used to produce an organic
crop.
The producer shall implement a weed, pest and disease
management strategy according to the following order of preference:
11.1
Prevention: Management practices shall be used to prevent crop pests, weeds,
and diseases,
including but not limited to:
11.1.2
Sanitation measures to remove disease vectors, weed seeds, and habitat
for pest organisms; and
11.1.3 Cultural practices such as selection of plant
species and varieties with regard
to suitability to site-specific conditions and resistance to prevalent pests,
weeds, and diseases, timing of plantings to avoid pest populations, maintaining habitats for natural enemies of pests, and similar methods.
11.2
Mechanical or Physical Pest Control: When prevention proves ineffective, pest
problems should
be controlled through mechanical or physical methods including
but not limited
to:
11.2.1
Augmentation or introduction of predators or parasites of the pest species;
and
11.2.2
Non-synthetic controls such as lures, traps, and repellents.
11.3
Mechanical or Physical Weed Control: When prevention proves ineffective, weed problems
should be controlled through:
11.3.2
Mowing;
11.3.4
Hand weeding and mechanical cultivation;
11.3.5
Flame, heat, or electrical means; or
11.3.6
Plastic or other synthetic mulches, provided that they are removed from
the field at the end of the growing or harvest season.
11.4
When prevention proves ineffective, disease problems should be controlled
through:
11.4.1
Management practices which suppress the spread of disease organisms;
or
11.4.2
Application of non-synthetic biological, botanical, or mineral inputs.
11.5 When the practices provided for in Sections 11.1
through 11.4 are insufficient to prevent or control crop pests, weeds, and
diseases, a substance included on the list of substances allowed for use in
organic crop production in Appendix A should be applied to prevent, suppress,
or control pests, weeds, or diseases.
Justification for using the substance shall be documented in the organic
system plan.
11.6
Prohibited: The operator should not use:
11.6.1
Any weed, pest or disease control substance that is not included on the
list of substances allowed for organic crop production in Appendix A;
11.6.2
Any product derived from or consisting of Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMO’s); and
11.6.3
Lumber treated with arsenate or other prohibited materials for new installations
or replacement purposes in contact with soil, crops or livestock.
In organic agriculture the maintenance of soil fertility is achieved through the recycling of minerals and organic matter where the nutrients are made available to crops through the activity of soil micro-organisms.
Pests, diseases, and weeds can be managed through cultural practices. Organic foods are processed primarily by biological, mechanical, and physical means. The following appendices are used as a guideline, and are not intended to be comprehensive.
Taking into consideration factors such as contamination, risk of nutritional imbalances, importation of inputs from outside the farm, and depletion of natural resources, the use of many of these inputs is already restricted.
Where there is doubt about whether
products should be included in the appendices the precautionary principle should
be applied.
Any DOAM member can request that
DOAM add, delete, or change the status of an input. A member who wishes DOAM to
determine whether or not an input should be permitted for use in organic
production or processing shall submit a dossier. A dossier addresses all of the
criteria and follows the format prescribed by the Standards Committee (SC). A
dossier requesting deletion needs only to address the criteria the
non-fulfillment of which are the reason for deletion. Requests from non-members
should also be considered at the discretion of the SC.
Dossiers shall be submitted to the
SC when the certification body or inspection body recommends an input that does
not appear in the appendices or that is not clearly covered by the general
standards or generic groups in the standards. Inputs that are the subject of
dossiers should not be used during the assessment period.
The Standards Committee reviews the
dossier and makes one of five decisions:
1. Insufficient information. The dossier is returned to the
member with a request to provide more information.
2. Clarification of existing standards. The member is informed that the
input is already covered (allowed, restricted, or prohibited) by the standards.
3. Reference to Experts. The Standards Committee requires
the opinion of recognized experts before it can make a decision. The DOAM SC
passes a dossier to one or several experts for evaluation. If the experts
require further information, the SC requests this information and passes it to
the experts. The experts provide a recommendation to the SC. The SC passes
expert comment back to the applicant for further comment. The SC then makes a
decision based on the recommendation and comments of the applicant.
4. Recommendation for Change of a Relevant Appendix. The SC informs the member that the
change is recommended by the SC to be included into the DOAM Standards. The
input then follows the procedure established for changes of the standards.
5. Rejection of the Change. The SC informs the member that the
input is not considered to be appropriate for inclusion in the standards.
Final decisions and recommendations shall be published and circulated to all DOAM members.
The
origin of the input should usually be (in order of preference):
·
Organically
produced
·
Non-organic
vegetative, animal, microbial
·
Mineral
·
Non-natural
products which are chemically synthesized and identical to natural products should
be used. There should be ecological, technical or economic arguments to take
into consideration in the allowance of chemically identical inputs.
The ingredients of the inputs should
undergo the following processes:
·
Mechanical
·
Physical
·
Enzymatic
·
Action
of micro-organisms
·
Chemical
(as an exception and restricted)
The collection of the raw materials
comprising the input shall not affect the stability of the natural habitat nor
affect the maintenance of any species within the collection area.
ENVIRONMENT:
The input
shall not be harmful or have a lasting negative impact on the environment. Nor
should the input give rise to unacceptable pollution of surface or ground
water, air or soil. All stages during processing, use and breakdown shall be
evaluated. The following characteristics of the input shall be taken into
account:
1. Degradability:
·
All
inputs shall be degradable to CO2, H20, and/or to their
mineral form.
·
Inputs
with a high acute toxicity to non-target organisms should have a maximum half-life
of five days.
·
Natural
substances used as inputs which are not considered toxic do not need to be
degradable within a limited time.
2. Acute Toxicity of non-target
organisms
·
When
inputs have a relatively high acute toxicity for non-target organisms,
restrictions for their use is needed.
·
Measures
have to be taken to guarantee the survival of these non-target organisms.
·
Maximum
amounts allowed for application shall be set. When it is not possible to take
adequate measures, the use of the input is not permitted.
3. Long-term chronic toxicity
·
Inputs
that accumulate in organisms or systems of organisms and inputs which have, or
are suspected of having, mutagenic or carcinogenic properties shall not be
used. If there are any risks, sufficient measures shall be taken to reduce any
risk to an acceptable level and to prevent long lasting negative environmental
effects.
4. Chemically synthesized
products and heavy metals
·
Inputs
shall not contain harmful amounts of manufactured chemicals (xenobiotic products).
·
Mineral
inputs should contain as few heavy metals as possible. Due to the lack of any
alternative, and long-standing, traditional use in organic agriculture, copper
and copper salts are exceptions for the time being. The use of copper in any
form in organic agriculture shall be seen, however, as temporary and use shall
be restricted with regard to environmental impact.
HUMAN HEALTH
AND QUALITY:
1. Human Health
Inputs shall not be harmful to human
health. All stages during processing, use and degradation shall be taken into
account. Measures shall be taken to reduce any risks and standards set for
inputs used in organic production.
2. Product Quality
Inputs shall not have negative
effects on the quality of the product - e.g. taste, keeping quality, visual
quality.
3. Animal
Welfare
Inputs shall not have a negative
influence on the natural behavior or physical functioning of animals kept at
the farm.
·
Additives
and processing aids should not detract from the overall quality of the product.
1. PLANT
AND ANIMAL ORIGIN
Allowed:
1.1 Farmyard
and poultry manure: dried, composted and only restricted use of raw manure
1.2 Slurry
and urine: only after fermentation or appropriate dilution
1.3 Guano
1.4 Blood
meal, meat meal, bone, bone meal: only after approval by DOAM and restricted to
local consumption
1.5 Hoof
and horn meal, feather meal, wool, fur, hair, dairy products: only after
approval by DOAM and restricted to local consumption
1.6 Fish
and fish products: only after composting
1.7 Liquid
fish products: can be pH adjusted with sulphuric, citric or phosphoric acid:
the amount of acid used shall not exceed the minimum needed to lower the pH to
3.5
1.8 Biodegradable
processing by-products: only of vegetative origin
1.9 Crop
and vegetable residues, mulch, green manure, straw
1.10 Wood,
bark, sawdust, wood shavings, wood ash, wood charcoal: only from wood not
treated with chemicals
1.11 Seaweed
and seaweed products: when extracted see plant preparations -1.12
1.12 Plant
preparations and extracts, such as liquid manures: extraction process is
limited to the use of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide; solvent amount
used is limited to that amount necessary for extraction
1.13 Compost
made from ingredients listed in this appendix, spent mushroom waste, humus and
castings from worms and insects
1.14 Urban
composts from separated sources which are tested for contamination
1.15 Humic
acids: naturally occurring deposits, water and alkali extracts only
Prohibited:
1.1 Ash
from manure burning
2. MINERAL ORIGIN
Allowed:
2.1 Basic
slag
2.2 Calcareous
and magnesium amendments
2.3 Limestone,
gypsum, marl, chalk, sugar beet lime, calcium chloride
2.4 Magnesium
rock, kieserite and Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate): shall be obtained by
physical procedures but not enriched by chemical processes
2.5 Natural
phosphates: Cadmium content less than or equal to 90 ma/ka P205
2.6 Pulverised
rock, stone meal
2.7 Clay
(e.g. bentonite, perlite, vermiculite, zeolite)
2.8 Lignin
sulphonate: chelating agent, dust suppressant, flotation agent
2.9 Trace
elements (e.g. boron, copper,iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc)
2.10 Sulphur
2.11 Sulphate,
carbonates, oxides, or silicates of zinc, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum,
selenium, and cobalt: not to be used as a defoliant, herbicide or desiccant.
Soil deficiency shall be documented by testing.
2.12 Soluble
boron products: not to be used as a defoliant, herbicide or desiccant. Soil deficiency shall be documented by
testing.
Prohibited:
2.1 Potassium
Chloride: unless derived from mined source and applied in a manner that
minimizes chloride accumulation in the soil.
2.2 Sodium
nitrate: unless use is restricted to no more than 20% of the crop’s total
nitrogen requirement (If crop or as an ingredient in a processed product to be
sold to EU then can not be used.)
2.3 Sulphate,
carbonates, oxides, or silicates of zinc, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum,
selenium, and cobalt if made from nitrates or chlorides.
2.4
Soluble
boron products if made from nitrates or chlorides
3. MICROBIOLOGICAL
ORIGIN
Allowed:
3.1 Biodegradable
processing by-products of microbial origin, e.g. by-products of brewery or
distillery processing.
3.2 Microbiological
preparations based on naturally occurring organisms.
Prohibited:
4.1 Arsenic
4.2 Lead
salts
4.3 Sodium
Flualuminate (mined)
4.4 Strychnine
4.5 Copper
(copper hydroxide, copper oxide, copper oxychloride, copper sulphate, hydrated
lime): cannot be used as an herbicide.
Restricted by use and application:
4.5 Nicotine
Sulphate (tobacco dust) from local farms (not from commercial farms)
4.6 Ethylene
(both synthetic and natural): for regulation of pineapple
4.7 Hydrogen
peroxide
4.8 Homeopathic
and Ayurvedic preparations
4.9 Sea
salt and salty water
4.10 Bicarbonate
of soda
4.11 Soft
soap: for use in farmstead maintenance and insecticide on ornamental crops
4.12 Boric
acid: for use in structural pest control, no direct contact with food or crops
4.13 Copper
(copper hydroxide, copper oxide, copper oxychloride, copper sulphate, hydrated
lime): shall be used in a manner that minimized accumulation of copper in the
soil
4.14 Sulphur
dioxide: for use as a rodenticide, underground only (smoke bombs)
4. TRAPS, BARRIERS, REPELLENTS
Allowed:
5.1 Physical
methods (e.g. chromatic traps, mechanical traps)
5.2 Nets:
petroleum based but not polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
5.3 Mulches:
newspaper or other recycled paper should not contain glossy finish or colored
inks
5.4 Pheromones
(e.g. Ammonium Carbonate): for use in traps and dispensers only