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Organic Food Bodies

2005-02-28
UKROFS
Largely funded by MAFF, UKROFS is the government authority responsible for the approval and supervision of the other certification bodies. Any produce bearing the UKROFS label will have been produced to UKROFS standards. Producers registered with the following certification bodies may also use the UKROFS logo if they wish to.
Soil Association Certification (SA Cert)
The country's leading certification body, certifying approximately 70% of organic food produced in the UK. It operates its own set of standards, which are more specific and generally stricter than those laid down by UKROFS.
The Organic Food Federation (OFF)
A trade federation set up primarily to help its members, who comprise of producers, manufacturers and importers to market organic foods. It's standards conform to those of UKROFS.
Organic Farmers and Growers Ltd (OF&G)
The second largest organic certification body in the UK. It's standards conform to those of UKROFS.
Demeter (BDAA)
Demeter is the written symbol used for the Biodynamic Agricultural Association (BDAA). Central to the biodynamic philosophy is that man, earth and the universe are bound together and that cosmic forces can effect plants, animals and soil. Bio-dynamic agriculture has been described as 'organic plus.'
The Irish Organic Farmers and Growers (IOFGA)
Has it's own standards additional to those laid down by UKROFS.
The Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA)
Standards conform to those laid down by UKROFS.

In the early stages of the organic movement the distribution of organic food was without formal production rules or standards and was based on close contact between producing farmers and consumers. As demand and awareness increased the introduction of external control and standardisation also increased.

In 1977 IFOAM decided to develop standards for organic agriculture and organic food and in 1980 the IFOAM General assembly approved the first Basic Standards.

Now at least 100 national, regional or industry standards have been developed world-wide and, as standard setting is a dynamic process, this has led, and continues to lead, to some very detailed standards looking at all aspects of the production of food and other products such as clothing and flowers.

Over the last ten years organic standards have been increasingly embodied in public law. Essentially these refer to organic production methods and labelling. The EU pioneered the development of legal regulations establishing Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuff on 24 June 1991. The Regulation is binding on all member states, but its implementation is the responsibility of national governments.

National or regional standards adapt to the particular conditions in an individual country or group of countries and therefore, to an extent, their exact wording and rules vary. However, the general concepts of organic agriculture and standards' requirements are almost universal.

At present there are two international standards for organic products, the IFOAM Basic Standards and the Codex Alimentarius Commission Guidelines. These really constitute instruction manuals for the design of national regulations and are not binding standards. As a result an exporter of organic products still has to ensure that that the organic product conforms with the regulations in the country or countries of destination, as well as domestic requirements.