Organic Agriculture & Certification
Organic agriculture stands or falls on the integrity of organic products. The fundamental creed of the organics movement worldwide is that all food and fibre products should be produced in harmony with Nature, without genetic engineering and without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilisers which are harmful to living beings and the environment. A series of protocols have been drawn up, known generally as organic certification standards, which embody these principles.
These protocols give the consumer a guarantee that a product is genuinely organic and they are firmly adhered to by a regular auditing system at every stage in the organic production chain from the farm to the retailer's shelves. Certified organic produce is the only produce that can be totally trusted to be free of any genetically engineered inclusions or additions.
Organic certification standards are audited internationally by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), which unites 750 member organisations in 105 countries. IFOAM's goal is to promote organic agriculture as an ecologically sound method of food production, which minimises environmental pollution and the use of non-renewable natural resources.
Organic certification standards are in many cases supported at the national level in each country by an official government auditing process backed by organic producer certification associations. This is particularly the case in countries like Australia and New Zealand, which export organic produce to the European Union. The EU has made it obligatory that national organic producer certification associations be audited at an official governmental level to meet agreed European organic protocols. These protocols have been largely developed in co-operation with IFOAM.