Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
standards for organic production and processing, create a common system of
verification and market identity, and facilitate the trade of organic products.
The standards address the specific principles, recommendations and required
baseline practices that guide organic crop production and ensure organic
integrity in the handling and processing of organic commodities. Accredited
IFOAM certification bodies can certify producers that meet the requirements
of the standard.
The IFOAM norms cover seven general components of organic agricultural
production: Organic Ecosystems, Crop Production, Animal Husbandry,
Processing and Handling, Labelling, Social Justice and Aquaculture
Production. Soil conservation, included under Organic Ecosystems, is
addressed through a series of recommendations and required practices. To
meet the baseline, producers must take appropriate measures to prevent soil
erosion, restrict vegetation burning for purposes of land preparation to a
minimum, ensure that crop production practices return nutrients, organic
matter and other resources to the soil, and take relevant action to prevent or
remedy soil salinisation. Additional recommendations include minimising
topsoil erosion, preventing soil compaction and mitigating soil degradation
through any range of practices deemed appropriate by the producer.
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4.8 LEAF Marque Global Standard
The LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Marque standard
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is global
in scope and aims to give consumers confidence in the quality and
environmentally friendly attributes of food and other agricultural products.
Producers must conduct a self-assessment of their farm and farm-management
practices across seven categories: Organisation and Planning, Soil
Management and Crop Nutrition, Crop Protection, Pollution Control and
Waste Management, Energy and Water Efficiency, Wildlife and Landscape,
and Animal Husbandry and the Environment. In order to qualify for
certification, producers must earn a minimum number of points within each
category.
Required practices under Soil Management and Crop Nutrition include: (1)
consulting a qualified agronomist for crop nutrition advice; (2) following a
nutrient management plan; (3) using soil-mapping techniques to identify areas
prone to compaction, erosion, run-off and leaching; (4) conserving and
building soil organic matter; (5) monitoring soils and crops prone to trace
element deficiencies; (6) implementing a long-term cropping and rotation plan;
(7) carrying out field operations under appropriate conditions to protect soil
structure; (8) maintaining records of fertiliser applications; and (9) applying
soil nutrients correctly. Recommended practices covered by this section
include: (1) estimating soil nitrogen supply available to plants; (2) measuring
nitrogen efficiency per unit production; and (3) recording all cultivations and
field operations.
