What is organic certification?
The certified organic label is the consumer’s guarantee the product has been produced
according to the EC standards (No. 834/ 2007) for farmers and food handling
organizations.
All these standards must be met for certification:
-
A public or private certifying organization conducts annual inspections of farms
and food handlers and periodic testing of soil and water to verify that a farm
meets or exceeds defined standards.
-
Organic farmers are required to keep detailed records of purchases and
practices, which inspection agencies examine systematically. All farmers and
handlers are also required to maintain written organic management plans.
- Most
farms are required to farm organically for at least three
years before the food they produce can be labeled certified organic. An
exception to this rule is farms that have not been growing organic products for
the past three years, but that have
not used unapproved chemicals during that time either. All farms, however, must
have been under the supervision of a certification agency for the past 12 months
before producing food that can be labeled certified organic.
-
No prohibited substances may be applied to the land during that period.
-
Not more than 5% of any organic-labeled processed food may contain non-organic
ingredients (excluding water and salt).
How can I tell whether food has met the EU standards for organic food?
Along with the national organic standards, the COAE has developed strict new labeling
rules to help consumers know the exact organic content of the food they buy. The
COAE organic seal, increasingly common after 2002, indicates a product is at
least 95% organic.
