Organic Farming
According to the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius guidelines for organic food, organic agriculture is "a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It emphasises the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfil any specific function within the system."
The Principles of Organic Agriculture as defined by IFOAM are:
Principle of health: Organic Agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible.
Principle of ecology: Organic Agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them.
Principle of fairness: Organic Agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities
Principle of care: Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment.
The organic production method thus plays a dual societal role, on one hand providing for a specific market in response to consumer demand for organic products, and on the other hand delivering public goods which contribute to the protection of the environment and animal welfare, as well as to rural development.
Valuable information for consumers as well as tools for stakeholders in the organic farming sector;can be obtained by exploring the website of Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/home_en
| Α/Α | Title | |
| 1. | Fees for Plant Production | |
| 2. | Fees for Processing |
REGULATION OF CERTIFICATION (ICS-BIO-D1.16)
ANNEX TO THE CERTIFICATION REGULATION (ICS-BIO-D1.44) REGARDING THE CONTROL MEASURES APPLIED IN THIRD COUNTRIES
