New Draft Regulations on Organic Production (October 2001)

ANNEXURE II:  Criteria to evaluate additional inputs to organic agriculture

1.         The following criteria should be used for amending the permitted substance list for fertilisation and soil conditioning purposes (Annexure I) --

(a)        the material is essential for achieving or maintaining soil fertility or to fulfill specific nutrient requirements, for specific soil-conditioning and rotation purposes which cannot be satisfied by the practices outlined in these regulations;

(b)        the ingredients are of plant, animal, microbial or mineral origin which were produced by the following processes --

-            physical (mechanical, thermal);

-            enzymatic;

-            microbial (composting, digestion);

(c)        their use does not result in, or contribute to, unacceptable effects on, or contamination of, the environment;  and

(d)        their use has no unacceptable effect on the quality and safety of the final product.

2.         The following criteria should be used for amending the permitted substance list for the purpose of plant disease or pest and weed control (Annexure III) --

(a)        the material is essential for the control of a harmful organism or a particular disease for which other biological, physical or plant breeding alternatives and/or effective management techniques are not available;

(b)        the substances (active compound) should be plant, animal, microbial or mineral origin which were produced by the following processes --

-            physical;

-            enzymatic;

-            microbial;

(c)        their use does not result in, or contribute to, unacceptable effects on, or contamination of, the environment;

(d)        their use has no unacceptable effect on the quality and safety of the final product;  and

(e)        nature identical products such as pheromones, which are chemically synthesised may be considered if the products are not available in sufficient quantities in their natural form, provided that the conditions for their use do not directly or indirectly contribute to contamination of the environment or the product.