Taken from the DOAM Standard
The General Approach
The approach to organic standard setting taken 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 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 Dominica 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.