The Soil Association has raised its organic certification standards for farmers following a two-year review.
The organic accreditors say the new standards will provide the highest level of protection for the environment, food and livestock, while providing an easier route to certification by avoiding duplication with other legislation.
Following input from the public, farmers, expert advisers and the food industry, the new standards will also be easier for both licensees and the public to use and understand.
The Soil Association said it had strengthened its certification requirements even further in animal welfare, with the new standards to come into effect in Spring 2019. The updated standards are already available for preview online.
Dr Benjamin Dent, chair of the Soil Association Standards Board, said:“We believe that the Soil Association’s higher standards are the right standards for organic food and farming in the UK.
“This has been an extremely thorough, evidence-based review. Our expert committees and consultations have ensured the new standards are practical for our licensees and encourage them to innovate, and that where we are more demanding than the regulations, that this is justified in terms of enhanced impacts on animal welfare and the environment.”
