Soil Association seeks feedback from NI agri-food sector
Farmers, vets, food processing and agri-food businesses are invited to help shape the future of organic food and farming by responding to a new consultation on key Soil Association organic standards for Northern Ireland.
The consultation. which launched yesterday (December 4), covers proposed updates in Northern Ireland on:
- Permitted inputs for fertilisers, soil conditioners, and nutrients;
- Additives and processing aids for animal feed and processed food;
- A proposed amendment on country-of-origin labelling.
The Soil Association developed the world’s first organic standards in the 1960s.
Today, all its licensees in Northern Ireland must meet strict European laws on organic production and go further in key areas such as animal welfare, public health, and environmental protection.
Proposed changes
The proposed changes for Soil Association licensees in Northern Ireland relate to its higher standards for farming, growing, feed mills, and food processing.
Most of the proposals reflect recent amendments to the EU Organic Regulation on permitted inputs, including fertilisers, soil conditioners, and nutrients, as well as additives and processing aids for animal feed and processed food.
An additional proposed change relates to country-of-origin labelling, following an earlier revision of the EU Regulation.
Seeking feedback
The Soil Association is seeking feedback from everyone involved in organic farming and food and drink production in Northern Ireland - including licensees, farmers, growers, vets, animal feed manufacturers, food processing businesses, consumers and academics - to ensure the standards remain stretching but practical, and continue to deliver benefits for climate, nature, public health and animal welfare.
The consultation is also open to those outside Northern Ireland, to inform the organisation’s wider work on UK regulations and standards.
In the wake of a detailed review of the latest amendments to the EU Organic Regulation, the Soil Association is now consulting on whether to introduce new higher-level requirements in response to the changes for licensees in Northern Ireland.
Responses to the consultation will inform recommendations to the independent Soil Association Standards Board.
Soil Association director of standards innovation, Sarah Compson said: “Organic farmers are pioneers in sustainable food production, and it is essential that our standards allow them to remain at the leading edge of best practice.
“As part of our commitment to keep organic standards under constant review, we are proposing updates to our food and farming standards in Northern Ireland - with a particular focus on veterinary treatments, fertilisers and feed additives - to ensure that our standards go above and beyond baseline regulation, where it’s impactful to do so.
“We are keen to hear from farmers, vets, food businesses, advisers, input suppliers and anyone with an interest in sustainable food production so that this consultation helps ensure Soil Association organic continues to drive up farming standards in Northern Ireland and across the UK.”
Consultation
Interested parties can find out more on the Association’s online Standards Innovation hub, with the consultation running for 60 days from now until February 3.
This consultation will help shape future updates to the Soil Association organic food and farming standards in Northern Ireland.
