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certification

Organic certification

An official certification

The EU organic production logo is an official certification. Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products establishes a certification system that allows for the identification of operators abiding by organic production regulations. Thus, the Regulation establishes that before advertising a product as “organic” or “in conversion”, operators shall notify their activity to the competent authorities for their undertaking to be subject to the control system.

In Asturias, this notification is made by applying to be included in the registers of COPAE, which is the competent authority in terms of organic control, and responsible for granting the certificate to operators complying with the Regulation. Operators that are exempted from the requirement of owning the certificate are businesses that sell packaged organic products directly to end users or consumers.

 

In Asturias, the businesses that sell organic products in bulk or by pieces must also be certified by COPAE.

System transparency

The Regulation establishes the requirements to be satisfied by control bodies and authorities, for them to have knowledge and experience, and to offer sufficient guarantees of objectivity and impartiality, and be free from any conflict of interests related to the exercise of their control tasks.

 

To guarantee the transparency of the certification system, EU countries must publish the lists of certified operators and the control fees set to verify compliance with organic production regulations.

A public certification

According to the European Regulation, the control and certification system may be performed by private control bodies or authorities. In Asturias, COPAE is a control authority, and it is a public and non-profit entity. COPAE takes into account small farmers and operators when setting inspection fees to facilitate access to certification.

 

In order to harmonise the interpretation of regulations, and to defend a public certification, COPAE is a member of Intereco, a non-profit association of public organic farming control authorities, to implement joint actions aiming at the development of organic farming.

Certification benefits

A necessary certification

Certification is necessary for consumers to have the clearest assurance that the products have been elaborated, packaged and distributed according to organic production regulations.

 

To do so, control authorities and bodies conduct strict controls on their operators. They also perform product analyses to identify possible residues of prohibited products such as chemical synthesis pesticides, antibiotics, GMOs or additives, and other substances prohibited in organic production.

A promising sector

Organic production is a promising sector and a market requirement. Hence, the competitive advantages of organic certification and the improvements in profitability for small producers must also be highlighted, as they can obtain an added value by improving the quality of their productions.

Requirements and procedures

  • Organic farming requirements
  • Organic livestock farming requirements

Organic farming is a production system in which the use of synthesis chemical substances (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc.), and GMOs are prohibited. The Regulation on organic farming establishes the conditions whereby a crop can be certified as originating from organic farming. An organic holding must satisfy a set of production principles and standards related to the origin of seeds, fertilisation, control of adventitious plants, pests and diseases, etc.

 

The period of transition, during which organic farming techniques are introduced into the holding, is known as the conversion period. The conversion period starts when a production unit applies to be included in COPAE Registers. From then on, the organic production regulation must be complied with, and the holding will then be subject to COPAE’s control procedures.

 

Timeframe of conversion periods:

  • Annual and arable crops: 2 years.
  • Grassland: 2 years.
  • Perennial crops (fruit bearing trees, etc): 3 years.

 

The conversion period could be reduced whenever there is sufficient proof that the soil has not been previously treated with products prohibited by the organic farming regulation for at least three years.

 

For further information on organic farming production regulations, please download the guide on organic farming, where you will find detailed information on the concept of organic farming, its advantages, regulations, the requirements demanded, and the necessary steps to certify a production as “organic” as well as the procedures.

 

Organic farming guide

For farmers to certify their production as organic, they must be included in the COPAE Register of Holdings. To do so, they must follow the steps below:

  1. Provide the COPAE with the following documentation: (download documents)
    Documentation on holdings
    Application for registration
    Application form to register plots
    Plot data sheet
    Registration survey of holdings
    Reconversion plan
  2. Once the application has been submitted, a COPAE technician will arrange a meeting with the producer to perform the initial audit; the technician will visit the holding to check the data included in the application.
  3. After the initial audit, the Certification Committee will set the registration requirements and the conversion periods. COPAE will notify the decision.
  4. Once registered, producers must keep an up-to-date documentary record, which will be requested during the monitoring or inspection visits. All holdings must keep a record of actions performed on the plots (fertilisation, phytosanitary treatments, seeding and plantation), entry of products (fertilisers, phytosanitary products, seeds, plants), record of harvest, and shipments of products (products harvested and sold as organic).
  5. After the first control phase, COPAE technicians will make periodic monitoring visits, which may be made with or without prior notice.
  • Organic livestock farming requirements
  • Organic livestock farming procedures

Organic livestock farming is a production system in which the use of synthesis chemical substances (chemical fertilisers, herbicides) and GMOs are prohibited. Organic livestock farming respects animal welfare, without interfering in their natural cycles, with adequate housing and access to grazing land. Animals are fed on organic fodder and feed, mainly obtained from the actual holding. Healthiness is based on the prevention on diseases through the selection of breeds adapted to the area, best handling practices and a proper diet. Genetic diversity is promoted by using autochthonous breeds of animals. The organic livestock farming legislation establishes several requirements to certify the production as originating from organic livestock farming. Organic holdings must comply with several production standards and principles related to pasture management, livestock, diet, veterinary services, slurry and manure management, etc.

 

The adaptation phase during which organic production methods are introduced into the production unit is known as conversion period. This period is applied to the animals and to the land associated with animal production. The conversion period starts when a production unit applies to be included in COPAE Registers. From then on, the organic production regulation must be complied with, and the production cannot be distributed as organic until that period has ended.

 

Timeframe of conversion periods:

  • Plots used for animal food production: 2 years.
  • Equine and bovine, for meat production: 12 months and never less than three quarters of their lifetime.
  • Animals for milk production: 6 months.
  • Small ruminants and pigs: 6 months.
  • Poultry for meat production (introduced prior to the first three days of life): 10 weeks.
  • Poultry for egg production: 6 weeks.

 

As a general rule, in organic livestock farming, the conversion period is applied simultaneously to the land and the animals, with a total duration of two years. The livestock conversion takes place during the last land conversion phase.

 

In Asturias, organically produced Asturian veal (ternera asturiana) is distributed with certification from both COPAE and the Regulatory Council for the PGI “Ternera Asturiana”. To facilitate the joint certification, both councils have signed a collaboration agreement. If you would like to join the Regulatory Council for the PGI “Ternera Asturiana”, please contact them and they will inform you about the steps to be followed. For further information on organic livestock farming production, download the guide on Organic Livestock Farming.

 

For further information on organic livestock production regulations, please download the Guide on Organic Livestock Farming where you will find detailed information on the concept of organic livestock farming, its advantages, regulations, the requirements demanded and the necessary steps to certify a production as “organic” as well as the procedures.

 

Guide on Organic Livestock Farming

 

For livestock breeders to certify their production as organic, they must be included in the COPAE Register of Holdings. To do so, they must follow the steps below:

  1. Provide COPAE with the following documentation:
    Documentation on holdings
    Application form to register plots
    Application for registration
    Plot datasheet
    Livestock datasheet
    Registration survey of holdings
    Conversion plan
  2. Once the application has been submitted, a COPAE technician will arrange a meeting with the producer to perform the initial audit, visiting the holding to check the data introduced in the application.
  3. After the initial audit, the Certification Committee will set the registration requirements and the conversion periods. COPAE will notify the decision.
  4. Once registered, producers must keep an up-to-date documentary record, which will be requested during the monitoring or inspection visits. All livestock holdings must keep records of veterinary treatments, actions performed on the plots (fertilisation, seeding), agricultural and livestock related entries (feed, fodder, seeds), a record of products harvested and shipped (crops and fodder), records of livestock handling and stabling (farmers must note down the date of weaning of animals, entries in the fattening area, stabling periods), record of animal feed (type of food and servings).
  5. After the first control phase, COPAE technicians will make periodic monitoring visits, which may be made with or without prior notice
  • Organic beekeeping requirements
  • Organic beekeeping procedures

Beekeeping is an important activity in terms of environmental protection and agroforestry production thanks to the pollination action of bees.

 

Organic beekeeping is a production system that does not allow the use of synthesis chemical substances.

The use of synthesis chemical substances, such as acaricides, is prohibited for the treatment of parasites such as Varroa jacobsoni.

The use of antibiotics as treatment to prevent diseases is also prohibited.

Healthiness is based on the prevention of diseases by selecting breeds adapted to the area, best handling practices and an adequate diet, leaving sufficient pollen and honey supplies in the beehive for the winter.

La cera deberá ser renovada con cera de la propia explotación o con cera procedente de otras explotaciones ecológicas.

Beeswax must be renewed with beeswax from the actual holding or from other organic holdings.
Farms must be located in areas with wild vegetation, organic crops and with access to water, in places where there is no pollution risk.

 

Conversion periods:

The adaptation phase when organic production methods are introduced into the production unit is known as the conversion period. This period applies to beekeeping products. The conversion period starts when a production unit applies to be included in COPAE Registers. From then on, the Regulation related to organic production must be complied with, and the holding will be subject to control procedures. During the conversion period, beeswax must be renewed with organic production beeswax. Beekeeping products may only be sold with organic logos if they have complied with the organic production regulation for at least one year.

 

For further information on production regulations related to organic beekeeping, please download the Guide on Organic Beekeeping where you will find detailed information on the concept of organic beekeeping, its advantages, regulations, the requirements demanded and the necessary steps to certify a production as “organic” as well as the procedures.

 

Guide on Organic Beekeeping

For beekeepers to certify their production as organic, they must be included in the COPAE Register of Holdings. To do so, they must follow the steps below:

 

1. Provide COPAE with the following documentation:
Documentation on holdings
Registration application plots
Application form to register beehives
Beekeeping datasheet 1
Beekeeping datasheet 2
Registration survey of holdings
Conversion plan

 

2. Once the application has been submitted, a COPAE technician will arrange a meeting with the producer to perform the initial audit, visiting the holding to check the data introduced in the application.

 

3. After the initial audit, the Certification Committee will set the registration requirements and the conversion periods. COPAE will notify the decision.

 

4. Once registered, producers must keep an up-to-date documentary record, which will be requested during the monitoring or inspection visits. All holdings must keep records of veterinary treatments, beehive interventions, product entries, record of harvesting and product shipments, etc.

 

5. After the first control phase, COPAE technicians will make periodic monitoring visits, which may be made with or without prior notice.

  • Organic aquaculture requirements
  • Organic aquaculture procedures

The recent approval of some organic aquaculture standards for the production of trout makes it possible for Asturian farms to embrace this type of production as the water quality of Asturian rivers is perfect for the organic production of trout. The certification allows for the differentiation between this type of trout and trout originating from other systems that are more harmful and aggressive with the environment.

 

Requirements:
Organic trout breeding is another way of understanding aquaculture, far removed from traditional intensive systems.

What rules in this production system is the integration of fish farms into the surroundings. The water used for fish breeding is mountain water, close to river sources or from springs. Trout are bred in ponds with sufficient room for them to swim, and the breeding period is longer than in intensive farming, adapting more to the conditions of free fish. The feed is very natural, mainly based on extractive fishing fish flours with a vegetable part from organic farming.

For further information download the organic trout production regulations. If you are interested in applying to enter COPAE’s Register of Producers, please go to the section “Procedures”.

Regulations on organic trout production

To certify that the production comes from organic aquaculture, please refer to the COPAE, the only authorized body to certify organic production in Asturias.
  • Requirements to process organic foods
  • Organic food processing procedures

All the production and transformation phases of organic products must comply with the requirements established in Regulation (EC) 834/2007 and be subject to control procedures. Thus, organic food processing can only be performed by industries included in the COPAE Register, in the case of products for human nutrition as well as animal nutrition.

 

TOperators that store or distribute organic products, as well as those that import products from third countries (outside the EU), must also be included in the COPAE Register.

Organic food can be processed in exclusive organic product units or in units that also process non-organic products. In the latter case, organic food processing must be kept separate, both in time and space, from non-organic processing to ensure there is no risk of mixture or substitution. Organic product operations can only be performed after having cleaned the facilities and the production equipment.

Only agricultural ingredients originating from organic production can be used. The ingredients of non-agricultural origin, processing aids and additives that may be used are the ones included in the positive list of the Regulation (EC) 834/2007.

 

For further information on the processing regulations you can download the Organic Product Processing and Transformation guide. There you will find answers related to organic production, its advantages, regulations, requirements, and the necessary steps to certify a nutritional product as “organic”, as well as the procedures.

Organic Product Processing and Transformation Guide

 

Industry procedures

For an industry to certify their production as organic, they must be included in the COPAE Register of Processors. To do so, they must follow the steps below:

  1. Provide COPAE with the following documentation:
  2. Once the application has been submitted, a COPAE technician will arrange a meeting with the producer to perform the initial audit, visiting the holding to check the data introduced in the application.
  3. After the initial audit, the Certification Committee will set the registration requirements and the conversion periods. COPAE will notify the decision.
  4. 4. Once registered, the operator will notify the start of activity, having to keep an up-to-date documentary record, which will be requested during the monitoring or inspection visits: entry records, shipment records, processing reports, to guarantee product traceability at all times and record of stocks. Furthermore, COPAE must be sent on a quarterly basis a statement of sales of organic products. The organic product labels and advertising material must be previously approved by COPAE
  5. 5. After the first control phase, COPAE technicians will make periodic monitoring visits, which may be made with or without prior notice.

 

 

Import procedures

1. Products imported from third countries may only be distributed as organic products when they originate from a third country included on the list of authorised countries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

 

2. The importer must obtain the official registers established by the legislation in force and be certified by the control body for the respective organic agricultural production.

 

3. If you are interested in the aforementioned certification, please contact the COPAE.

 

For further information on the list of authorised countries and about the register of importers please visit the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  • Requirements of green stores
  • Green store procedures

The use of the terms ECO, BIO, natural, biological or organic at establishments or on the labelling and advertising of food is protected by the European regulations on organic production.

 

To sell organic products in bulk or by pieces, retailers must be included in the COPAE Register, as this activity is subject to a control system, as established in the European regulation on organic production, and in Decision, of 9 March 2018, of the Regional Ministry for Rural Development and Natural Resources, regulating certain exemptions related to retailers of the Principality of Asturias who directly sell organic products to end consumers or users, and are subject to the control regime.

 

To obtain the certification, retailers must ensure the origin of organic products and their correct identification. Wherever organic and non-organic products are sold, retailers must establish measures to separate them to avoid any risk of mixture or exchange of products, as well as to avoid misleading consumers.

To sell organic products in bulk or by pieces, retailers must be included in the COPAE Register, as this activity must be subject to the control system established by the European regulation on organic production.

 

To be included in the COPAE Register you must send the Application Form for Retailers. By signing the application, the business accepts compliance with organic production standards and with the controls established in its Regulation. If organic and non-organic products are distributed, businesses must implement measures to separate organic from non-organic products, and avoid the risk of misleading consumers.

 

Upon reception of the application form and the necessary documents, COPAE will make an initial visit. After satisfactorily passing the controls and ensuring compliance with organic production regulations, COPAE will issue a certificate of conformity. At this stage, the business will be listed in the Register of Small Retailers, which can be consulted by type of business or by location.

  • Requirements of organic restaurants
  • Organic restaurant procedures

Restaurant and catering establishments that handle organic products may use the indications protected by organic production regulations, highlighting the organic ingredients included in a dish, a menu or in the actual establishment.

To provide consumers with an even greater guarantee that the food originates from organic production, COPAE offers the possibility of acknowledging restaurants as “collaborating establishments”, identifying controlled restaurants by means of this plaque.

To obtain COPAE’s “collaborating establishment” plaque, the restaurant must comply with the regulations ruling the distribution of organic products in Restaurant and Catering Establishments.

You can be included in the COPAE Register by sending the Application Form for organic restaurants and catering establishments. By signing the Agreement between COPAE and the Collaborating Establishments, the establishment accepts the conditions that guarantee that organic products will be adequately identified and separated from other non-organic products, and is subject to control by COPAE. In exchange, COPAE will put a sign up in your establishment, identifying it as a COPAE collaborating establishment. From then on, the establishment will be included in the List of restaurants and catering establishments registered in the COPAE Register.

FAQ

Who informs me?

Before applying for certification, it is paramount to be duly informed about the organic production regulations and know the measures to be implemented to guarantee their compliance. Here follows a list of general requirements per type of activity. Should you have any doubt or question related to regulations, please contact COPAE technical department.

How long does it take?

Bear in mind that agricultural and livestock productions have to go through a conversion period before distributing their production as “organic”. The conversion period usually takes 2 years, and it may be extended to 3 years in the case of fruit crops or be reduced to 12 months in the case of plots of land where it has been demonstrated that no prohibited products have been used over the last three years.

The certification of processing and distribution businesses is faster as in these cases there are no conversion periods.
.

How much does it cost?

COPAE publishes the fees including detailed information on the costs related to certification for each type of activity.

What about the certification process?

The certification process starts with applying to be include in the COPAE register. Once the documentation has been received, COPAE will plan a visit to perform the first audit. The inspection report is reviewed by the technical department. The certification decisions are taken by the Certification Committee, which is the last phase before issuing the certificate of conformity that permits the use of the protected wording on the labelling, and advertising distribute the products as organic products.

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