FiBL-Position Paper
Admission of commercial fertilizers in the FiBL inputs list
(03.05.2005)
Admission procedure and involvement of stakeholders
The FiBL inputs list is prepared by the FiBL inputs list team,
based on the relevant legislation and guidelines, as well as
on precedent decisions by the label organizations. Each year,
a draft version together with explanations on critical issues
is submitted to the label organizations and the relevant authorities
for comments, decisions on precedent cases and approval. Representatives
of BIO SUISSE and the inputs list team meet in an event called
the ‘round table’ and discuss the critical issues
before BIO SUISSE takes decisions. The approved version is then
published by FiBL.
The FiBL inputs list is updated annually and published in German
and French. The guidelines of BIO SUISSE and Migros-Bio require
that only commercial fertilizers listed in the FiBL inputs list
may be used.
Legal requirements
All commercial fertilizers must be approved by the Swiss Federal
Office for Agriculture. The relevant legislation is ‘Eidgenössische
Düngerverordnung’ (DüV) and ‘Eidgenössische
Düngerbuchverordnung’ (DüBV), ‘Stoffverordnung’ (StoV)
and ‘Verordnung über tierische Nebenprodukte’ (VTNP).
- DüV and DüBV are the basis for approval
of commercial fertilizers.
- StoV limits the use and the heavy metals contents of composts.
- VTNP regulates all uses and manufacturing of animal by-products,
to exclude health risks. VTNP has been issued in 2004 as a reaction
to the BSE crisis.
Consideration of organic farming principles
Commercial fertilizers are evaluated according to the IFOAM criteria
necessity, origin, environment and human health, quality and
socio-economic impact (see IFOAM Basic Standards), and according
to the additional requirements of BIO SUISSE.
The range of manufacturing procedures is limited to a few acceptable
processes which are consistent with the IFOAM Basic Standards and
the European regulation 2092/91 (which is different from the requirements
of the US ‘National Organic Program’). Whether hydrolyzation
is acceptable is currently discussed at EU level. When this issue
is clarified, the policy for the FiBL inputs for Switzerland list
will be adapted accordingly.
Acceptability to the public
Acceptability to the public is evaluated as part of the above
process. In general, the recycling of plant and animal materials
for fertilization is judged favourably by the public in Switzerland.
There is no objection to the use of fertilizers which fulfil
the same BSE safety standards as steaks.
Food safety
Occasionally, the safety of certain organic fertilizers
is questioned. In Switzerland, all fertilizers based on animal
by-products must be approved by the authorities, before they can
be used. All fertilizers based on bone-, meat- or bloodmeal currently
approved for use are manufactured from materials of category
3 of VTNP (= suitable for human consumption). Horns for the
production of hornmeal may only be imported from countries
with a low-risk BSE status.
As of: 03.05.2005 |
