Organic Agriculture
History
First Edition (1999)
In December 1996, the Canadian Organic Advisory Board and Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada initiated the development of a National Standard
of Canada for Organic Agriculture. The CGSB established the Standards
Committee for Organic Agriculture (the "Committee") that
prepared and reviewed six draft standards for organic agriculture
between January 1997 and March 1999.
The draft standard achieved consensus approval by the Committee
in February 1999. Consensus is defined as substantial agreement
by concerned interests in the preparation of a standard. Next the
standard was approved by the CGSB Panel on Process Assurance, that
provides procedural review of all actions related to the development
of the standard. Then the standard was ratified by the Standards
Council of Canada, confirming adherence to the requirements for
National Standards of Canada. The standard was published in June
1999, and is available in PDF (399k). To
obtain a hard copy, please contact:
By Mail: |
Sales Centre
Canadian General Standards Board
Gatineau, Canada
K1A 1G6 |
By Phone: |
1-800-665-2472 or
819-956-0425 |
By E-mail: |
ncr.cgsb-ongc@pwgsc.gc.ca |
By fax: |
819-956-5740 |
The Standard for Organic Agriculture (CAN/CGSB-32.310) outlines
principles for organic agriculture that endorse sound production
and management practices to enhance the quality and sustainability
of the environment and ensure the ethical treatment of livestock.
The standard specifies the minimum criteria that must be met when
food products, inputs and other products used in organic production
are defined as organic, or by comparable wording described in this
standard.
Press Release of 1999-06-29
Why It Was Revised?
At the request of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the
CGSB revised the National Standard of Canada for Organic Agriculture.
In order to facilitate trade with our major trading partners, for
example, the European Union (EU), the United States of America (US)
and Japan, the Canadian standard must be equivalent to standards
of its trading partners. The revision was undertaken to ensure
that the Canadian standard meets these requirements. Comparative
tables of the EU, US and Japan regimes, the Codex Alimentarius Commission
Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling, and Marketing
of Organic Food, and the Canadian standard, were prepared and considered
by Committee members in developing the revised national standard.
The revision also included the review on the prohibition of
antibiotics for slaughter animals, which was an unresolved issue
when the standard was first approved. The areas identified on the
future work list that was developed by the Committee after completion
of the first edition was also be reviewed and considered during
the revision process. Additional issues considered during
this revision included provisions made to the standard due to expected reference in regulations.
Minutes of the meetings of the Committee may be obtained by writing
to:
Secretary, Committee on Organic Agriculture
Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB)
11 Laurier Street, Place du Portage III,
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 1G6
Fax: (819) 956-5740
Email: ncr.cgsb-ongc@pwgsc.gc.ca A copy of the current National Standard is available in
PDF.
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