Organic production standards
The most commonly used standard documents can be accessed from these links
18a
NOTE organic production standards are defined by the GB Organic Regulation and are in addition to all statutory legislations (Soil Association std ref SA GB 1.4.4 and OF&G Standards section 5.0)
The traffic light colours on the RKP tables reflect this
18b
Article 12, Plant production rules, require that
1 (a) organic plant production shall use tillage and cultivation practices that maintain or increase soil organic matter, enhance soil stability and soil biodiversity, and prevent soil compaction and soil erosion
1 (b) the fertility and biological activity of the soil shall be maintained and increased by multiannual crop rotation including legumes and other green manure crops, and by the application of livestock manure or organic material, both preferably composted, from organic production
1 (f) all plant production techniques used shall prevent or minimise any contribution to the contamination of the environment
Additionally, the Recommendations include:
BEEF & LAMB/COMBINABLE CROPS For winter-grazed brassica crops, reduce the risk of run-off by only growing on appropriate fields*. Manage the grazing to prevent run-off (e.g. graze from the top of a sloping field). Preferably avoid root crops which leave the soil bare when grazed and instead use leafy brassicas and other species, grazing them rotationally to allow regrowth to keep soil protected.
BEEF & LAMB/COMBINABLE CROPS/DAIRY Grow maize only on appropriate fields*. Minimise bare soil after harvest either by undersowing in spring with a cover crop that remains after the maize harvest or, if not undersown, use an early maturing maize variety and then as soon as possible after harvest sow a cereal crop or a quick growing cover crop in time to establish before winter.
HORTICULTURE Grow autumn/winter harvested crops only on appropriate fields* and reduce the risk of run-off from growing areas (including polytunnels) by using appropriate measures (e.g. inter-row cropping/undersowing, track management, etc).
POTATOES Grow potatoes only on appropriate fields* and implement appropriate mitigation measures to prevent run-off from fields (e.g. grow early maturing varieties, use buffer strips alongside watercourses† and in-field grass strips to break flow lines, use tramline disruption machinery and sediment traps).
18c
Article 14 1 (b) (iv) the number of livestock shall be limited with a view to minimising overgrazing, poaching of soil, erosion, or pollution caused by animals or by the spreading of their manure
Additionally, the Recommendations include:
BEEF & LAMB/COMBINABLE CROPS For winter-grazed brassica crops, reduce the risk of run-off by only growing on appropriate fields*. Manage the grazing to prevent run-off (e.g. graze from the top of a sloping field). Preferably avoid root crops which leave the soil bare when grazed and instead use leafy brassicas and other species, grazing them rotationally to allow regrowth to keep soil protected.
18d
requires that ‘the total amount of manure you can apply to your organic land, averaged over the whole area, must not be more than 170kg of nitrogen (N) per hectare per year’.
