Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for - Aseanipm ...

ORGANIC VEGETABLE PRODUCT CERTIFICATION PROCESS
400
Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for Organic Vegetable Production
Certification is a system by which the conformity of products, services, and practices to
standards is determined and confirmed. Certification of organic agriculture is primarily a
certification of production systems or method. It is also a combination of the certification of
products and quality systems. It is one way of ensuring that products claimed to be organic are really
produced based on organic standards and procedures.
There are three modes of verifying if standards are met, namely: first-party certification, second-party
certification, and third-party certification system. In the first- party system, which is exemplified by
the participatory guarantee system, a producer has adopted an internal control system and claims
that the farm’s products are organic. In the second type, the consumer verifies that the production
system adheres to standards set by him. This is usually seen when there are organized producer
and consumer groups. In the last type, certification is done independently by a third party or a
certifying body without direct interest in the business. The third party verifies and confirms that a
product, service, system, process or material conforms to specific requirements. The third party
visits an organization, assesses their management system and issues a certificate to show that the
organization abides by the principles set out in the standards.
Organic standards for production and processing, fish farming, organic textile and harvesting of
wild life that have been developed. Organic standards generally include: avoidance of synthetic
chemical inputs and GMO; use of farm that has been free from chemicals for a number of years,
keeping detailed records of production and sales; maintaining strict separation of organic products
from the non-certified; and undergoing periodic on site inspections.
Certification and standards are important tools that are used generally in defining products from
organic agriculture and specifically to safeguard the integrity of organic vegetable production.
Originally, on a voluntary basis, organic certification also serves to efficiently market organic
products. Understanding the standards will direct practitioners in planning, converting, and
managing organic operations. As organic production and trade become more regulated and subject
to mandatory certification, at the national and international markets, it is important to know and
understand the standards and certification systems applicable to one’s production and/or trading
activity.