National Standards
Organic Production Systems - General Principles and Management Standards CAN/CGSB-32.310-2006
and Permitted Substances List CAN/CGSB-32.311-2006
(the following is an excerpt from the Canadian General Standards Board)
INTRODUCTION
Organic
agriculture is a holistic system of production designed to optimize the
productivity, and fitness of diverse communities within the
agroecosystem, including soil organisms, plants, livestock, and people.
The principle goal of organic agriculture is to develop productive
enterprises that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment.
Management-intensive
practices are carefully selected with the intent to restore and then
sustain ecological stability within the enterprise and the surrounding
environment. The fertility of soil is maintained and enhanced by a
system that promotes optimal biological activity within the soil and
conservation of soil resources. Weed, pest and disease management is
attained by an integration of biological, cultural and mechanical
control methods that include minimized tillage and cultivation, crop
selection and rotation, recycling of plant and animal residues, water
management, augmentation of beneficial insects to encourage a balanced
predator-prey relationship, and the promotion of biological diversity.
Under
a system of organic production, livestock are provided with living
conditions and stocking rates appropriate to their behavioral
requirements, high-quality diet of organically-produced feed, and
ethical animal husbandry that facilitates low stress, promotes good
health, and prevents disease.
Organic agricultural foods are
produced and processed under a system that strives to preserve the
integrity of the principles outlined within this standard. Neither this
standard, nor foods labelled to identify this standard, represent
specific claims to the health, safety, and/or nutrition of such foods.
By
themselves, organic practices can not ensure that organic products are
entirely free of residues of prohibited substances and other
contaminants, since exposure to such compounds from the atmosphere,
soil, groundwater and other sources may be well beyond the control of
the operator.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC PRODUCTION
The following principles are the foundation of organic production.
Protect
the environment, minimize soil degradation and erosion, decrease
pollution, optimize biological productivity and promote a sound state
of health - The main goals of organic production systems are to
optimize biological productivity, environmental quality, and community
wellness. Operators of organic enterprises strive to reduce or
eliminate reliance on practices using natural- or synthetically-based
compounds that harm beneficial organisms within the soil, deplete
non-renewable resources, compromise water and air quality, or which,
through misuse, could endanger the health of agricultural workers, the
agricultural community, or the consumer.
Replenish and
maintain long-term soil fertility by optimizing conditions for
biological activity within the soil - The health of the soil is an
integral component to the soundness of the agroecosystem. A balance of
physical, chemical and biological inputs must be addressed in practices
to optimize the quantity and diversity of soil organisms and to improve
soil fertility. Enhancement of the quality of soil includes, but is not
limited to, such practices as the use or incorporation of cover crops,
crop rotation, inter-cropping, green manure, recycled plant refuse and
animal manure, rotational grazing of livestock, tillage, and the
judicious application of supplemental nutrients as permitted by this
standard.
Maintain diversity within and surrounding the
enterprise and protect and enhance the biological diversity of native
plants and wildlife - Biological diversity is essential for the
stability and the sustainability of agroecosystems. Diversity is
promoted and enhanced during all aspects of organic production, through
the selection of relevant crop varieties, livestock breeds, rotation
cycles, strategies for pest management, among other inputs and
practices permitted by this standard.
Recycle materials and
resources to the greatest extent possible within the enterprise -
Operators of organic systems intensively manage the individual
enterprise and use biologically-based inputs in place of
synthetically-based inputs. Soil nutrients depleted from crop
production and natural leaching are replenished by nutrient sources
from within the enterprise, and when this is not practical, then the
source may be from the surrounding community. Efforts to conserve
energy during the transportation, manufacturing and handling of
agricultural inputs and products are encouraged to the greatest
possible extent.
Provide attentive care that promotes the
health and behavioral needs of livestock - Organically raised livestock
are managed to prevent disease and promote wellness through a
combination of organically-produced diet, adequate housing, ethical
animal husbandry, handling practices that minimize stress, and regular
monitoring.
Maintain the integrity of organic food and
processed products from initial handling to point of sale - Organic
agricultural foods, and their ingredients, additives and processing
aids, are produced, processed, manufactured and handled in accordance
with the principles of the organic system of production and processing.
Genetically engineered and/or modified organisms (GE/GMO), or their
products, are not compatible with the principles of organic production
and are prohibited from use in any aspect of organic production,
processing or manufacturing. Furthermore, the use of ionizing radiation
on organic food products (i.e. food irradiation), or their inputs, is
not compatible with the principles of organic processing and is
prohibited.
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