Organic production systems — General principles and management standards

1.1 This standard applies to the following organic products:

a) Unprocessed plants and plant products, livestock and livestock products, to the extent that the principles of production and specific verification rules for them are described in the standard;

b) Processed agricultural crop and livestock products intended for human consumption or use and derived from the items mentioned in 1.1 a);

c) Livestock feed;

d) Processed agricultural crop and livestock products intended for animal consumption or use and derived from the items mentioned in 1.1 a).

1.2 Organic products referenced in this standard are derived from a production system that:

a) seeks to nurture ecosystems through its management practices in order to achieve sustainable productivity; and

b) provides weed, pest and disease control through enhancement of biodiversity, recycling of plant and animal residues, crop selection and rotation, water management, tillage and cultivation.

1.3 Units of measure

Quantities and dimensions in this standard are given in metric units with yard/pound equivalents, mostly obtained through soft conversion, given in parentheses. The metric units shall be regarded as being official in the event of dispute or unforeseen difficulty arising from the conversion.

1.4 Prohibited substances, materials or techniques in organic production and preparation

If producing or preparing organic products, the following substances, materials or techniques are prohibited since they are incompatible with the general principles of organic production:

a) all products of and materials from genetic engineering (GE), as defined in this standard, and as specified in 4.1.3, 5.1.2 and 6.2.1 of CAN/CGSB-32.311;

b) all products, materials or processes intentionally using nanotechnology, as defined in this standard, with the following exceptions:

1) naturally occurring nano-sized particles or those produced incidentally through processes such as grinding flour;

2) contact surfaces, such as equipment, work surfaces, or packaging, where transference of nano-sized particles to organic crops, livestock or products is unintended and unlikely to occur;

c) irradiation, as defined in this standard, for the treatment of organic products and inputs used in the production of organic products, except as specified in CAN/CGSB-32.311;

d) soil amendments, such as fertilizer or composted plant and animal material, that contain a substance not listed in CAN/CGSB-32.311;

e) sewage sludge;

f) synthetic crop production aids and materials, except as specified in CAN/CGSB-32.311;

g) synthetic growth regulators;

h) cloned livestock and its descendants;

i) synthetic allopathic veterinary drugs, including antibiotics and parasiticides, except as permitted by this standard;

j) synthetic substances used in organic product preparation, such as ingredients, food additives and processing aids, including sulphates, nitrates and nitrites, except as specified in CAN/CGSB-32.311;

k) equipment, harvest and storage containers, storage facilities and packaging materials treated with synthetic fungicides, preservatives, fumigants and pesticides;

l) substances that are not listed in CAN/CGSB-32.311, except as permitted in this standard.