The Organic Inputs Evaluation project

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The Organic Inputs Evaluation project

• Bernhard Speiser, Otto Schmid Lucius Tamm, FiBL
• Brussels, 12 March 2007

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Contents

• Introduction to the project and its aims
• Main results of the project
• evaluation process review by an expert panel
• new evaluation criteria
• Implementation in the new Organic Regulation
• evaluation criteria in Article 11
• test with case studies gt suggestions for
  amendments
• Conclusions, research needs

3
Acknowledgements

• Administrative co-ordination DARCOF (Lizzie M.
  Jespersen)
• Scientific input from project partners and many
  external experts
• Funding from Commission of the European
  Communities, 5th Framework Programme of RTD,
  contract QLK5-CT-2002-02565and from Swiss
  Federal Office for Education and Science (BBW)

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The Organic Inputs Evaluation project

• Concerted Action
• Duration January 2003 December 2005
• 12 partners and many external experts
• Website www.organicinputs.org
• Objectives
• To develop harmonized and standardized procedures
  for evaluation of plant protection products,
  fertilizers and soil conditioners for use in
  organic agriculture.

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Considerations on objectives

• Evaluation of inputs should be based on
  scientific evidence and on principles of organic
  farming.
• Progress must be possible. It should be possible
  to authorize new inputs, but the principles of
  organic farming must be conserved.
• The evaluation process should be transparent and
  involve stakeholders.
• International harmonization is desirable,
  especially with the Codex Alimentarius
  guidelines.

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Inputs overlap with other legislation
Organic farming Reg. 2092/91
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Two inventories of the existing system

• Main findings
• Large variability between EU Member States
  concerning allowed products.
• Inclusion of new plant protection products on
  Annex II B is impossible in most cases
  (non-contact clause).
• If inclusion is possible, the process is very
  slow.

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The evaluation process
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Why review by an EU expert panel ?

• Homogeneity across requests- order of
  presentation of facts- degree of detail- line
  of argumentation
• Completeness of facts
• Adequate interpretation
• Applicant and expert panel should try to reach
  consensus, to avoid contradictions in the dossier.

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EU expert panel

• Is, or is part of, the independent expert panel
  for technical advice cited in Action 11 of the EU
  Organic Action Plan.
• Acts in the public interest.
• Permanent members, to ensure continuity over time
  and consistency with other organic farming
  legislation.
• Ad-hoc members to provide additional expertise
  for individual inputs.

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Composition of the EU Expert panel

• 1 chair
• 6 organic farming experts, covering wide range of
  animal and crop husbandry and broad geographic
  spread
• 1 expert for - marketing, policies, standards,
  consumer expectations- organic inspection and
  certification- soil science- biochemistry or
  inorganic chemistry- ecotoxicology- human
  health- plant protection and/or plant nutrition
• Can one expert cover more than 1 field of
  expertise ?
• This is the composition suggested for evaluation
  of inputs. For other tasks, composition of the
  panel might have to be enlarged (see proposals of
  the Organic Revision project).

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The Criteria Matrix

• The Criteria Matrix was developed as a tool for
  the evaluation process.
• It contains all information necessary for the
  evaluation process.
• It makes the evaluation process transparent.
• It is a systematic collection of arguments, which
  allows to compare the Member State views in a
  simple way.
• Two case studies illustrate its use
• Matrix has been used to evaluate potassium
  bicarbonate

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Criteria must allow the right products
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Projects assumptions for the criteria

• They should reflect the current consensus on
  which inputs are allowed. gt Products currently
  listed in Annex II should pass the criteria.
• Organic evaluation should not duplicate efforts
  from pesticide registration (risk assessment for
  environment, human health, residues ).
• They should be harmonized with the Codex
  Alimentarius guidelines for organically produced
  foods.
• Emphasis on criteria, not on traditional use.
• Products must fulfill all criteria to pass.

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Present criteria (Article 7)

• Traditional use
• Non-contact (for pesticides only)
• Necessity
• Environment

allowed contact not allowed
must be essential no unacceptable effects
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Criteria proposed by the project

• Traditional use
• Non-contact (pesticides only)
• Necessity
• Environment
• Origin
• Manufacture
• Human health
• Socio-economic impact
• Organic farming principles

(delete) (delete) existing existing new new new ne
w new
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Implementation

• After the end of the Organic Inputs Evaluation
  project, a New Organic Council Regulation was
  proposed.
• Article 11 (current numbering) contains
  evaluation criteria.
• Last version considered here 22 Dec 2006
• Note Because this was after the end of the
  Organic Inputs Evaluation project, the following
  slides represent the authors view, not that of
  the project.

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Criteria in the new Organic Regulation (Article
11)

• Organic farming principles
• Environment
• Human health
• Necessity
• Origin (rule 2 exceptions)
• Traditional use
• Manufacture
• Socio-economic impact

new (part of objectives) (part of objectives)
existing new existing not included not included
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Origin, the rule

• Art. 11, 2. (b)
• all products shall be of plant, animal,
  microbial or mineral origin
• Examples
• Plant compost, pyrethrine
• Animal farmyard manure
• Microbial Bacillus thuringiensis
• Mineral clay

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Origin, the exceptions

• Art 11, 2. (b) except if products or
  substances from such sources are not available in
  sufficient quantities or qualities or if
  alternatives are not available
• Art 11, 2. (c) (ii) if products are not of
  plant, animal, microbial or mineral origin and
  not identical to their natural form, they may be
  approved only if their conditions for use
  preclude any direct contact with the edible parts
  of the crop

and, for plant protection products
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Case study 1
Farmyardmanure

• 2. The authorization is subject to the
  objectives and principles laid down in Title II
  
• 2. (a) Their use is necessary for sustained
  production and essential for its intended use
• 2. (b) shall be of plant, animal, microbial or
  mineral origin except if products or substances
  from such sources are not available in sufficient
  quantities or qualities or if alternatives are
  not available
• 2. (c) (i) ... is essential for the control
• 2. (c) (ii) if products are not of plant, animal,
  microbial or mineral origin and are not identical
  to their natural form, they may be approved only
  if their conditions for use preclude any direct
  contact with the edible parts of the crop
• 2. (d) is essential for fertility of the
  soil
• 3. (c) Products and substances used before the
  adoption of this Regulation may continue to
  be used after said adoption

allowed
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Case study 2
Chileannitrate

• 2. The authorization is subject to the
  objectives and principles laid down in Title II
  
• 2. (a) Their use is necessary for sustained
  production and essential for its intended use
• 2. (b) shall be of plant, animal, microbial or
  mineral origin except if products or substances
  from such sources are not available in sufficient
  quantities or qualities or if alternatives are
  not available
• 2. (c) (i) ... is essential for the control
• 2. (c) (ii) if products are not of plant, animal,
  microbial or mineral origin and are not identical
  to their natural form, they may be approved only
  if their conditions for use preclude any direct
  contact with the edible parts of the crop
• 2. (d) is essential for fertility of the
  soil
• 3. (c) Products and substances used before the
  adoption of this Regulation may continue to
  be used after said adoption

not allowed
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Case study 3
Pheromones for mating disruption

• 2. The authorization is subject to the
  objectives and principles laid down in Title II
  
• 2. (a) Their use is necessary for sustained
  production and essential for its intended use
• 2. (b) shall be of plant, animal, microbial or
  mineral origin except if products or substances
  from such sources are not available in sufficient
  quantities or qualities or if alternatives are
  not available
• 2. (c) (i) ... is essential for the control
• 2. (c) (ii) if products are not of plant, animal,
  microbial or mineral origin and are not identical
  to their natural form, they may be approved only
  if their conditions for use preclude any direct
  contact with the edible parts of the crop
• 2. (d) is essential for fertility of the
  soil
• 3. (c) Products and substances used before the
  adoption of this Regulation may continue to
  be used after said adoption

allowed
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Case study 4
Spinosin

• 2. The authorization is subject to the
  objectives and principles laid down in Title II
  
• 2. (a) Their use is necessary for sustained
  production and essential for its intended use
• 2. (b) shall be of plant, animal, microbial or
  mineral origin except if products or substances
  from such sources are not available in sufficient
  quantities or qualities or if alternatives are
  not available
• 2. (c) (i) ... is essential for the control
• 2. (c) (ii) if products are not of plant, animal,
  microbial or mineral origin and are not identical
  to their natural form, they may be approved only
  if their conditions for use preclude any direct
  contact with the edible parts of the crop
• 2. (d) is essential for fertility of the
  soil
• 3. (c) Products and substances used before the
  adoption of this Regulation may continue to
  be used after said adoption

allowed (?)
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Case study 5
Glyphosate herbicide

• 2. The authorization is subject to the
  objectives and principles laid down in Title II
  
• 2. (a) Their use is necessary for sustained
  production and essential for its intended use
• 2. (b) shall be of plant, animal, microbial or
  mineral origin except if products or substances
  from such sources are not available in sufficient
  quantities or qualities or if alternatives are
  not available
• 2. (c) (i) ... is essential for the control
• 2. (c) (ii) if products are not of plant, animal,
  microbial or mineral origin and are not identical
  to their natural form, they may be approved only
  if their conditions for use preclude any direct
  contact with the edible parts of the crop
• 2. (d) is essential for fertility of the
  soil
• 3. (c) Products and substances used before the
  adoption of this Regulation may continue to
  be used after said adoption

allowed !
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Proposed amendments

• 2. The authorization is subject to the
  objectives and principles laid down in Title II
  
• 2. (a) Their use is necessary for sustained
  production and essential for its intended use
• 2. (b) shall be of plant, animal, microbial or
  mineral origin except if products or substances
  from such sources are not available in sufficient
  quantities or qualities or if alternatives are
  not available
• 2. (c) (i) ... is essential for the control
• 2. (c) (ii) if products are not of plant, animal,
  microbial or mineral origin and are not identical
  to their natural form, they may be approved only
  if their conditions for use preclude any direct
  contact with the edible parts of the crop

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Case study 5 repeated
Glyphosate herbicide

• 2. The authorization is subject to the
  objectives and principles laid down in Title II
  
• 2. (a) Their use is necessary for sustained
  production and essential for its intended use
• 2. (b) shall be of plant, animal, microbial or
  mineral origin
• 2. (c) (i) ... is essential for the control
• 2. (c) (ii) if alternatives are not available,
  products which are not of plant, animal,
  microbial or mineral origin may be approved, if
  they are identical to their natural form, or if
  they are used in traps and dispensers
• 2. (d) is essential for fertility of the
  soil
• 3. (c) Products and substances used before the
  adoption of this Regulation may continue to
  be used after said adoption

not allowed
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Conclusions

• A lot has been achieved in the New Organic
  Regulation!
• What remains to be done
• Expert panel should be installed.
• Criteria some amendments are needed.

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Research needs

• Topic no 1 right input on the right occasion
• Optimization at regional / crop level with
  specific conditions for use (instead of need
  recognized )
• Replacement of currently allowed inputsby new
  inputs or alternative methods
• Topic no 2 new technologies
• Compliance of upcoming new technologies such as
  nanotechnology with organic farming principles

Thank you for your attention !