International standards for the production and processing of
organic food
Otto Schmid
Partner: IFOAM.
The IFOAM Standard
Committee revises basic standards every two years and develops
criteria in new areas, e.g. landscape management.
Switzerland and FiBL also work with the IFOAM-EU group which is
a platform for the creation of new proposals that further develop
EU regulation 2091/92 (regulates the production and labeling of
organic agricultural products). This work is important as Swiss
and EU organic farming regulations are linked.
The Codex
Alimentarius (a joint program of WHO and FAO to harmonize
the international food legislation) agreed on common standards
for organically produced plant products and these were extended
to animal production in 2001. A revision of the criteria for
pesticides and fertilizers and the processing or organic food
is scheduled for 2003.
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