CGSB
The Canadian General Standards Board
The Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB), part of the Government of Canada, is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada to develop National Standards of Canada in a broad range of subject areas and to offer conformity assessment services, including programs for certification of suppliers meeting product and services standards, registration of quality and environmental management systems conforming to ISO standards, and related services. These services are provided in support of economic, regulatory, procurement, health, safety and environmental interests.
The CGSB's role in the development and review of standards is one of facilitator. It produces standards through voluntary consensus by using balanced committees of experts that are made of Producers, Users and General Interest members, providing broad-based input to the standards.
In December 1996, the Canadian Organic Advisory Board and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada initiated the development of a National Standard of Canada for Organic Agriculture. The CGSB established the Standards Committee for Organic Agriculture (the "Committee") that prepared and reviewed six draft standards for organic agriculture between January 1997 and March 1999. The standard was published in June 1999 and is now being revised.
To view the Canadian Standard on Organic Agriculture, click on: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/cgsb/032_310/standard-e.html
The standard used in compiling this report was CGSB-32.310 (August 2002). Inputs in this report all have one of three designations:
- Allowed
Permitted products/substances which are in compliance with The Standard.
- Restricted
Products/substances which require the approval of the certifying bodies based on an assessment of need, alternatives, efficacy and ecological impact.
- Prohibited
Products/substances which may be acceptable/legal in conventional systems but are not compatible with the principals of organic agriculture.
The designation can be found next to the input's title. This is a voluntary minimum standard.
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