Organic Farmers & Growers met with Defra officials and NFU representatives this week to discuss the amended regulation, which is intended to replace rules which expired at the end of December last year.

The aim of the draft is to extend provisions for allowing a small proportion of non-organic feed to make up rations for monogastrics, following concern that the sector would be unable to move to a 100 per cent organic diet in the foreseeable future, due to both supply of raw ingredients and a lack of evidence that such a diet would be suitable for the welfare of the animals.

With the expiry of the existing derogation at the end of 2011, a 100 per cent organic ration was expected to have been enforced from the start of 2012, but the EU Commission failed to address the issue before the expiry of the old regulation, throwing the organic sector into a quandary.

Interim advice emerged in December, following pressure from OF&G, that control bodies should maintain the status quo until the new regulation could be approved.

The EU’s Standing Committee on Organic Farming (SCOF) is due to discuss the new draft in February, which is the earliest the matter may be concluded.

However, changes in the wording of the new draft regulation have opened up more questions regarding definitions which control bodies will need clarifying before they will be able to work to the standard. OF&G has created a briefing note for its licensees, and any other organic farmers, to appraise them of the latest developments.

OF&G Chief Executive, Richard Jacobs, said: “This has been a frustrating and confusing process for everyone and we shouldn’t have got this far down the road without it being clarified. We are working closely with Defra and other key bodies to try and get the issue resolved once-and-for-all.

“The sector is in limbo at the moment which is far from ideal as feed compounders need to be ordering raw materials well in advance and organic farmers need to know what is and is not permissible before they buy in stocks of feed. Although we currently have permission for them to continue under the old standards we need a satisfactory way forward to be agreed as soon as possible.

“There are still many unanswered questions surrounding possible interpretations of the new regulation, which puts farmers and compounders in a difficult position.”

The new regulation is now not expected to come into force before the end of February, though there are suggestions that timeframe could extend into March.

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The new detail follows concerns voiced directly to Defra officials by Organic Farmers & Growers over confusion surrounding the situation and conflicting advice being given to organic operators by a variety of industry bodies.

Current rules permitting the five per cent allowance, under a derogation, are to expire at midnight on December 31st, 2011. Despite this, new regulations are not yet agreed at the European level and conflicting reports emerged from Europe last week regarding what producers and feed compounders should do in the meantime.

Defra has now said that it has been agreed with the European Commission that feeding to the current regulation will be permitted to continue until the new rules are decided, which is not expected to be until a meeting of the Standing Committee on Organic Farming (SCOF) in February next year, though Defra today said: “This Regulation will probably not be published for some weeks after that vote.”

In a Guidance Note issued by Defra at 17:35 today it was stated: “In these circumstances, operators may continue to comply with the current requirements of Regulation 834/2007 with regard to monogastric feed and sourcing of poultry from 1 January 2012. This is time-limited to the date when the new feed Regulation comes into force and will be kept under review by Defra. Control Bodies should not take action against any operator for breach of the rules discussed in this guidance note so long as they continue to be compliant with those rules as they stand prior to 31 December 2011.”

The Guidance Note also stressed that there should be no negative ramifications for organic operators: “Importantly, it is intended that the new feed Regulation will have retrospective effect so that all operators will legally retain their organic status during the gap between 01 January and the date of publication.”

However, despite this formal guidance on the issue, Richard Jacobs, chief executive of leading organic control body, Organic Farmers & Growers, said there were still areas for concern.

“I’m afraid we are becoming very used to Europe being extremely late on making amendments to the regulation. This becomes extremely frustrating for all of us, particularly those at the sharp end of organic production whose livelihoods depend on being able to plan for their expenses and changing regulatory requirements.

“With this guidance, Defra has attempted to clarify the situation as much as it can, but of course it doesn’t particularly help the feed manufacturers or the farmers who have to order their products for their livestock and still will not know what the rules will be post the SCOF meeting in February. We have been told that it’s likely that the five per cent allowance for non-organic feed will remain until the end of 2014, but what is “likely” is far from being definite.

“Undoubtedly this is the most clarification we can expect so, on the basis of this, we will be advising our licensees to continue making feed and feeding it to livestock as per the current regulations until the new regulation comes into force. That still leaves a question mark over what will be acceptable for them to do in the changeover period between the two regulations – you can’t just throw away what you’ve got in stock at midnight one day and start feeding a different ration the next and compounders will want to order ingredients months ahead, which this makes it difficult for them to do.”

Organic Farmers & Growers, along with many in the organic sector, is conscious that continuing to move towards 100 per cent organic rations for all livestock is the ideal situation and is fully supportive of that, however there is still much dispute regarding whether an appropriate diet can be delivered, particularly to poultry, with a totally organic feed.

It is felt that a continuation of the current regime under a renewed regulation will give the sector time to develop and test 100 per cent organic formulations that support the welfare of the animals.

The RDPE funding guidance document

A window for new bids to the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) opened in late November but will only remain open until January 17, 2012.

The RDPE has existed since 2007 and was originally administered, in the main, by regional development agencies.

However, since July 2011 Defra has taken over responsibility for the delivery of support for farming and forestry competitiveness, diversification of the rural economy and rural quality of life.

The current round is under the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) and, in general, the grants are for a minimum of £2,500 and a maximum of £25,000. They are targeted at improving effectiveness and efficiency, so are not for the purposes of buying new equipment, but could be put to work enhancing existing installations; for example, upgrading a basic cattle crush to make it suitable for a wider range of tasks.

There are some caveats regarding who is eligible for the grants, though not too many. A comprehensive, but accessible, brochure has been published to provide guidance on the RDPE. OF&G has made an online version of the document available, which can be accessed by clicking here and downloaded for reading at leisure.

Further information is available via the RDPE section of the Defra website (including links to the application forms).

The RDPE is technically scheduled to run until 2013 through various funding rounds, some with emphasis on specific priorities, however, once the allocated funds for the scheme are used it will end – which could be long before 2013, depending upon the popularity of the offering.

With the existing derogation allowing five per cent non-organic rations due to expire on December 31 this year, and no replacement regulations put in place, expectation had been growing that it would be extended.

Defra has this week announced that this will be the case, however the details of the extension are still very much up in the air, according to leading organic control body, Organic Farmers & Growers.

Despite a number of organisations making categorical public statements about the percentages of non-organic feed that will be allowed, and the time scales the derogation will apply for, OF&G says the situation is far from clear and is warning organic producers not to act until the matter is indisputably settled.

Organic Farmers & Growers’ Chief Executive, Richard Jacobs, said: “In the last two days we have been told different detail by different, normally reliable, sources. That being the case we would urge every producer who might be affected by this to take any statement of fact with a pinch of salt until we can ensure a definitive answer. We obviously hope to do this in the next day or two, although these are cogs that can move frustratingly slowly.

“For their own sake producers should not be ordering feeds or altering rations in any way for the period after December 31st until their control body can say, with absolute certainty, what the rules will be. They could be putting their organic status at risk if they do so.”

Mr Jacobs said that conflicting information had been received so far, not only on percentages and timescales, but on the allowable non-organic elements of feeds.

He added: “There are grounds to strongly suspect that the five per cent allowance will continue through at least 2012, though there is still some room for doubt. What is far less clear is what types of feed will be included in that five per cent. Everyone should just sit tight until we’re absolutely sure.”

This week’s civil service strike has added further delay to resolving the issue. OF&G will issue its own update on the matter once the details of the derogation extension are clear and irrefutable.

The farmer-owned company revealed its plans to make the payments this week.

The amounts shared will be based on the tonnage sold by each member through the business in the last year.

Organic Arable currently has 63 members and deals entirely in UK-grown organic grains and pulses.

Managing director of Organic Arable, Andrew Trump, said: “We are delighted to be able to make these bonus payments. Our whole business focus is to do the right thing for our members and long term customers. We keep our costs to a minimum and all surpluses go back into the operation to generate further benefits for the members.”

The company’s chairman, Suffolk arable farmer, John Pawsey, who is an Organic Farmers & Growers licensee, explained that all members would benefit to some degree from the bonus, whether they held large or small acreages.

He added: “We have a different philosophy to those who put their own interests above the UK organic farmers and sector. We are about investing in the sector, supporting producers and building long term relationships with our customer, we are innovative, transparent, believe in the viability of the UK organic sector and are bullish about the future.”

OF&G chief executive, Richard Jacobs, applauded the announcement by Organic Arable.

He said: “This move demonstrates perfectly the fact that farmer-owned collaborative businesses are a very healthy thing. The people who stand to benefit from its success are the farmers themselves. Whether such bonus payments are significant or modest, they are going into the hands of the people who did the hard work.

“It’s a model that could be more widely employed in the food chain generally and one that we believe other forward-thinking, motivated organic producers are particularly well-equipped to emulate, given the right opportunities.”

OF&G has learned today that the application window will open on October 3 and will run until November 4 this year.

It has been confirmed that land which has begun, or will begin, its conversion to organic between January 2, 2011, and January 1, 2012, will be eligible for the support.

The five-year scheme, provided for under the Rural Development Programme for Wales 2007 to 2013 and is open to both new applicants and existing agreement holders looking to bring additional land into their organic system and who meet the eligibility criteria.

The scheme is jointly funded by the Welsh Government and the European Commission.

The timeline for the process has been outlined by Organic Centre Wales, and runs as follows:

- Applications to be received by November 4
- Decisions will be made and offer letters sent out by November 28
- Farmers must return their acceptance form by December 7
- Control Body certificates confirming the commencement of conversion between the allowed dates must be submitted by March 31, 2012

The Welsh Assembly Government has issued an information booklet regarding the scheme, which can be downloaded here.

While the booklet provides guidance it does not seek to be exhaustive, so any farmers needing further advice on certification should contact their control body.

An impressive array of industry leaders have been lined-up for the third annual Selling Organic conference, to be held in Oxford on October 13.

The event will see presentations from the likes of Planet Organic founder, Renee Elliot, Arthur Potts Dawson, founder of The People’s Supermarket, Nick Barnard, Managing Director of Rude Health, and many more.

The OF&G-backed event is run in partnership with Organic Conferences Ltd and is now in its third incarnation, following on from the success of the previous two years.

A first for this year’s event will be presentations on the benefits social media and mobile computing can bring to forward-looking businesses. Delegates will see the technology in action in the form of local food-finding and social media service, Lovefresh and gain deep insight from leading social technologist, Christian Payne.

Other topics to be closely examined during the course of the day will include farmer/consumer partnerships and market intelligence, an update on the Organic UK campaign and analysis of British grocery shopper sentiment. The day will culminate with ‘Organic Question Time’ giving delegates an opportunity to put their questions to a panel of experts.

Organic Farmers & Growers Chief Executive, Richard Jacobs, said: “This year’s event is titled ‘Selling Organic: Building Partnerships’ because it’s focus will be on building ever-stronger supply chain relationships and how to capitalise on the potential that remains to be tapped in the organic sector.

“The buzz around previous years’ events has been excellent and the conference returns because delegates and exhibitors asked for it.”

Places at Selling Organic: Building Partnerships are limited by space, so anyone wishing to exhibit or attend as a delegate should book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

More information and booking forms are available from the Selling Organic website.

The event is made possible with support from its key sponsors: Moy Park, SAI Global, Doves Farm, Graig Producers and Organic Places to Stay.

The full programme for the day can be seen at this page on the Selling Organic website.

Maintenance payments for organic producers, which have historically been available, were absent from the Glastir land management scheme when it was first conceived.

However, the Welsh Assembly Government has now confirmed that mechanisms to allow continued access to this support are being put in place, both for the current scheme, until its end in 2013/14, and with a targeted organic maintenance fund within Glastir from 2014, subject to EU approval of the move.

The development is neatly described by Organic Centre Wales on its website: “In a key change, farmers will no longer have to join Glastir to access organic support. Instead, farmers already in the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) will be offered extensions to their existing agreements which will take them up the end of the current RDP period. In addition, windows for applications for conversion support will be open later this year and in 2012, both for farmers considering organic management for the first time and for existing organic farmers to increase their organic land area.”

The move was announced by WAG Farming deputy minister Alun Davies and has been welcomed by sector bodies, including Organic Farmers & Growers.

OF&G Chief Executive, Richard Jacobs, said: “There has been a collective sigh of relief breathed at this announcement. There were some who foresaw the decimation of the organic sector in Wales if robust and structured support was not included in future planning.

“Along with many groups and individuals we have been contributing to the dialogue and it is to the credit of the Welsh Assembly Government that it has listened and acted in the most appropriate way.”

Welsh Organic Group Member, Glastir Review Member and organic beef and sheep farmer, Keri Davies, said: “We asked the Minister to give confidence in the future to the organic farmers of Wales – confidence to continue to invest in organic production and make business plans and decisions over the next few years. We are delighted that he has given the sector a clear message that organic farming is a strong part of the future of farming in Wales, and we welcome his statement. He has obviously listened to the views of ourselves and others such as the farming unions in making this announcement.”

Leading organic control body, Organic Farmers & Growers, has welcomed the news, in the light of the failure for EU-wide organic pullet standards to be agreed.

A requirement remains in place for organic pullets to be used where they are available, however the minimal supply of fully organic pullets led to the introduction of birds reared to the interim feed and veterinary standards – or “part-organic” as they have come to be known.

The inability of the EU Commission to finalise and introduce a full organic pullet standard has left the sector in a state of limbo, with rearers reluctant to invest in units for producing completely organic pullets without knowing what the standard will precisely require.

Chief Executive of Organic Farmers & Growers, Richard Jacobs, said: “This is something of a good news and bad news development. The bad news is that we still don’t have a standard for organic pullets and we still don’t have a deadline for that to happen which the sector can work to. It’s another failure by the EU to see expected regulation changes through in a timely fashion. To produce a fully organic pullet, rearers may have to make outdoor space available, amongst other requirements, and that means investment and a long lead-in to allow for planning permission and other considerations. They badly need a proper timescale for this.

“The good news at least is that we won’t be left without a supply of pullets for organic laying units come January next year. Where organic chicks can’t be sourced, producers will be able to continue with the part-organic option and that will allow for continuity of supply for the time being.”

Farmers wishing to source the part-organic pullets will continue to require a derogation from OF&G for their use, though they also retain the option to take non-organic chicks onto their units at no more than three days of age and rear them to full organic standards, though this is a somewhat limited option due to the degree of specialism required.

No time scale has been put on the continued use of part-organic pullets or when an agreed standard for fully-organic pullets can be expected to be added to the EU Organic Regulation. Defra has indicated that it would expect the current arrangements to continue for at least 12 months past the December 2011 deadline and further clarification is expected in due course.

Mr Jacobs added: “What we need to see now is an agreed organic pullet rearing standard to be introduced as soon as possible and, once we reach that point, there needs to be at least an 18-month transition period to allow the rearers to make and carry out their plans to meet the market need. It’s not something they can do overnight. Unfortunately we have been discussing this issue for a number of years now and we don’t seem to be any further forward, we’re just delaying what’s inevitable, and desirable, once again.”

Previously only suitably treated ‘green’ wastes had been permitted as sources of nutrients and soil improvers under organic regulations.

Now, following pressure placed on Defra by leading control body, Organic Farmers & Growers, to clarify the situation, it has been confirmed that source-separated household waste (that which is segregated into dedicated containers by householders before local authority collection), can be used as an agricultural soil conditioner or fertiliser as long as it is processed and certified to the recognised composting or anaerobic digestion standards.

The ability to use these materials could have tremendous value to organic producers who have high demands for suitable inputs but have to sometimes seek them off-farm – such as arable farms with no livestock of their own, or organic horticultural units.

However, there will still need to be some controls on the use of these materials, to ensure farmers and growers employing them continue to meet the demands of the organic regulations.

Standards for compost and the product of anaerobic digestion (digestate) are governed by PAS 100* and PAS 110** respectively if the resulting output is to be classified as a good source of soil conditioner or fertiliser for farmers and growers, rather than a waste attracting disposal licence costs.

Defra has clarified that, under the EU organic regulation, composted or fermented source-separated household waste is allowable as long as it has been certified to the relevant Publicly Available Standard.

Organic Farmers & Growers’ Chief Executive, Richard Jacobs, explained: “This is very good news as it opens up a new source of good, sustainable nutrients to organic farmers and growers. We must stress though that it is not a blanket go-ahead for the use of source-separated household waste. The PAS 100 and PAS 110 standards allow for approximately twice the level of heavy metals than is permitted in the organic regulation, so farmers using these inputs will need to ensure they have the results of analysis on any supply they take and share those with us before applying the fertiliser or soil conditioner.

“The issue of being able to unlock the value of properly composted or fermented source-separated waste has been up in the air for some time now, so we recently pressed Defra for an definitive answer to the question and we’re pleased that it has now said it considers the product to be in line with the organic regulation.”

OF&G will be requiring its licensees to obtain approval before taking compost or digestate from source-separated waste. This will serve the dual purpose of allowing the control body to double-check the source for its licensees, to protect them from mistakes that could later lead to de-certification of their land, and to maintain the public’s trust in the integrity of the organic standards.

Mr Jacobs added: “In an ideal world we wouldn’t have to require prior approval for this, but we believe it is better all round if there is some oversight given that there is a degree of potential for errors. Technicalities aside, this could be a very helpful and important development which will allow many farmers and growers to tap into a resource that is created from what would otherwise be waste.”

As well as being a leading organic control body, Organic Farmers & Growers has been appointed as an inspection and certification provider for both PAS 100 and PAS 110. It is the only organisation in the UK in a position to certify to all three of these standards, serving organic farmers, compost operators and AD plants.

More information on OF&Gs’ services can be found atwww.organicsrecycling.co.uk.

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* PAS 100 definition from the Association for Organics Recycling (AfOR) website: “It requires the producer to establish a quality policy and management system to ensure compost that is fit for purpose. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point planning must be carried out and inputs are restricted to source-segregated biodegradable materials. Materials composted and the resulting composts must be traceable. PAS 100 also requires that customers are provided with information about where the compost was made and guidance on storing, handling and using the compost.
(http://www.organics-recycling.org.uk/index.php)

** PAS 110 definition from the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme website: “The PAS110 for digestate, derived from the anaerobic digestion of source-segregated biodegradable materials creates an industry specification against which producers can verify that the digested materials are of consistent quality and fit for purpose. If a biogas plant meets the standard, its digestate will be regarded as having been fully recovered and to have ceased to be waste, and it can be despatched to the customer under the symbol “Bio-fertiliser”.”
(http://www.biofertiliser.org.uk)