Soil Association Certified Organic

All food production causes some disruption to the natural environment. Organic farming minimises this disruption by: limiting the types and quantities of pesticides and fertilisers used, building soil fertility and soil stability, and maintaining and increasing ecological diversity within and around cropped land. You should manage your organic farm: to be socially sustainable as well as environmentally sustainable; with respect for good traditional and pastoral grazing systems, and; sympathetically within the limitations of local climate and topography (such as mountain, hill and upland farming) All practices must maintain any wildlife habits that are part of the farm to promote ecological diversity. All employees working on these farms must have the freedom to associate, the right to organize, and the right to bargain collectively. "Everyone involved in organic farming and production should: be fully trained for the tasks they are carrying out; be aware of the relevant standards, and; understand the importance of maintaining organic integrity throughout the production and processing cycle. You must make sure your organic business meets all relevant statutory requirements. This includes requirements concerning: premises, equipment, staff facilities, general hygiene, and, protection of food from contamination or deterioration. You must make sure your organic products meet all statutory requirements. This includes requirements concerning: grade, composition, quality, quantity, and product descriptions". Farmers must entirely refrain from using GMOs or their derivatives in any part of the farming process. To be able to use non-organic inputs, a farm must "get a signed GMO declaration form from your suppliers of non-organic inputs to show they do not contain any GMOs or their derivatives". Farms may not use "fertilizers, composts or manure or other nutrient inputs containing GMOs or their derivatives... If you wish to use green waste, household compost and other similar nutrient sources, we will review the waste recycling process to evaluate the risk of GMO contamination. We will then decide if you can use it. You do not need to demonstrate that visiting non-organic bulls, rams and boars, or replacement stock have eaten non-GM feed within the previous three months. You must not feed your animals with grains, concentrates, supplements, vitamins, minerals, feed additives and carriers containing GMOs or their derivatives. You may only use mixed, blended or compound and concentrate feeds that are certified by an organic certification body, even if they only contain non-organic ingredients. This automatically confirms their non-GMO status. If you mill and mix brought-in feeds or use straights you must get a completed GM declaration form from your supplier. You must not use veterinary and health care products containing GMOs or their derivatives. This includes the use of medicines, hormones, vaccines, bacterial products, amino acids and parasiticides. If there is no alternative but to use a GM derived veterinary product, you must treat the animal. If you do not treat a sick animal we may withdraw your certification. You must administer the treatment even if this would mean an animal losing its organic status. You must let us know if you have used such products.