Proceedings of the Second NAHWOA Workshop

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Appendix IV
 A comparison of organic livestock production standards: the new EU Regulation No. 1804/1999, IFOAM Basic Standards of November 1998 and the new draft guidelines of Codex Alimentarius ALINORM 99/22A

Expert Consultation regarding standards for Organic Livestock Systems / 31.03.00 / Comments of Eva Mattson, Co-ordinator of IFOAM Standards Committee, included / 5.02.2000

 O. Schmid

Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland

  

Introduction

The European Union adopted the new livestock regulation 1804/1999 on 24.8.99. On the national level, discussions are going on as to how this regulation will be implemented in August 2001.

IFOAM adopted their standards at the General Assembly in Argentina in November 1998. In the meantime, the IFOAM Standards Committee is working on a slightly adapted version for the next General Assembly in August 2000 in Basle, Switzerland.

The Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Labelling is discussing a new draft guideline for organic livestock, which will be considered in May 2000 in Ottawa, Canada. If there is an agreement, these guidelines will be put legally into force by the Codex Commission in July 2001.

A comparison was made between the new EU Regulation, the IFOAM Basic Standards for animals and the new proposed Draft Codex Guidelines, in order to find out about differences and areas where harmonisation might be necessary. The comparison focuses only on points where different approaches were found.

 

Different Roles of the Standards

To make conclusions from the comparison, it is important to mention the different roles of the standards:

EU The texts are direct production standards with the aim of equalising the market in the EU. They have the status of law.

Codex This is a worldwide guideline for states and others to build up their standards or regulations, but does not certify products directly.

IFOAM This is a worldwide standard for standards, which also guides others; e.g. what the accredited certifiers have to fulfil.

As a result of the different natures or purposes of the standards, the content of Codex and IFOAM is more general, outlining principles and criteria that have to be fulfilled, and less detailed than the regulations dealing specifically with European context.

 

Conclusions

The comparisons showed that some topics are still defined differently by the EU Regulation, the IFOAM Basic Standards and the Codex Draft.

  1. Conditions for conversion: similar.
  2. Conversion time for milk and eggs: IFOAM requires 30 days for milk and 6 weeks for eggs. The EU has longer conversion times. The Codex is still undecided.
  3. Conventional feedstuff: 10% for ruminants and 15% for non-ruminants in the EU, IFOAM and Codex. In addition, in the EU this percentage is only allowed during a period of 5 years. On a worldwide level (Codex, IFOAM), a time limit is more difficult to set (more countries in an early stage of organic farming).
  4. Feed self-sufficiency: Based on the IFOAM Basic Standards, after 1 year of organic management the feed can be calculated as 100 % organic. A minimum fodder self-sufficiency (50% from the farm or from the region) is required, at least for ruminants, whereas EU has no such restriction. Codex proposals resemble the EU.
  5. Veterinary treatment: IFOAM, the EU and the Codex draft have a double withholding period. In addition, the EU and Codex draft do require exclusion for organic labelling after 2 courses of treatments.
  6. Mutilations: EU and Codex Draft are less strict than IFOAM.
  7. Tethering of animals: permanent tethering systems with no pasturage and outdoor run with regular exercise is not allowed by IFOAM; however, tethering of animals is allowed. The EU does exclude tethering after a period of 10 years (except for small farms). The Codex is still undecided.
  8. Free range area for fattening of cattle and pigs for meat: based on the IFOAM Basic standards, during the fattening period animals should have access to an outdoor run. Exceptions with time limits can be made in individual cases.
  9. Poultry regulation in the EU Regulation: more detailed regarding housing than IFOAM and the Codex draft (due to the different nature of the standards).
  10. Pig regulation in the EU, IFOAM and the Codex draft is not very detailed.
  11. Bees: the EU is more specific with regard to the feed collection area (3 km). The Codex draft has no list for treatments yet.
  12. Feed components: the Codex and IFOAM have more detailed clear criteria for feed ingredients, feed additives and processing aids. The EU has a detailed list of feed (during a transitional period countries can make their own lists).
  13. Cleaning agents: the EU has a list. IFOAM and the Codex draft have no such list (due to the different nature of the standards).
  14. Stocking rates: the EU sets a limit (170 kg/ha). IFOAM and the Codex draft are setting only the general principle of having adapted stocking rates (adaptation of the figures on a national level).
  15. The EU has set detailed minimum surfaces for outdoor runs. IFOAM Basic Standards and the Codex draft only ask for sufficient size, because this might be different depending on the kind of national breeds and the risk of environmental problems in humid areas.
  16. Transport and slaughter: IFOAM has more detailed rules than the EU and the Codex draft.

 

See table for detailed comparisons.

 

References:

IFOAM EU-Group (1998): Comments to the draft regulation on Organic Animal Husbandry. Letter to the EU-commission. Darmstadt/Bristol. 6p

Jesperson, L.M. (1998): International and National "Organic Standards in the EU. Section of Ecology. Danish Agricultural Advisory Centre. ca. 200 p

Schmid O. (1996): Comparison of national and international livestock standards. IFOAM Conference. Kopenhagen. (not published). 6 p

Schmid, O., Schüpbach K., Beltrami R. (1998): Nationale und internationale Richtlinien der Tierhaltung im ökologischen Landbau. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture.. Internal report (in German). 263 p

European Communities (1999): Council Regulation (EC) No 1804/1999 of 19 July 1999 supplementing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs to include livestock production. Official Journal of the European Communities 24.98.1999. Brussels. L 222 1-28.

IFOAM (1998): IFOAM Basic Standards. IFOAM General Assembly November 1998. International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. Tholey-Theley.

Codex Alimentarius (1999). Proposed draft Guidelines for the production, processing, labelling and marketing of organic livestock and livestock products. Alinorm 99/22 A Appendix IV. Codex Alimentarius Commission. Rome

 

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