organicNEWS - Scottish Organic Producers Association

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CERTIFICATION CORNER—Producer Members ORGANIC MILKING COWS AND SHEEP Some of the veterinary licenses for flukicides have changed recently. The situation is becoming more complex for milk producers. We recommend that organic dairies milking cows (or sheep) contact your vet to discuss options for treating liver fluke. See page 4 and 5 for more information on liver fluke. Dealing with non-compliances When a non-compliance is raised at inspection or audit, this is what you are required to do: 1 - You have 30 days from the date of your INSPECTION to submit satisfactory corrective action to the SFQC/SOPA office to address any non-compliances raised. Following your inspection the office will send out a courtesy letter confirming the non-compliance and to remind you of the non-compliance(s) raised and the deadline for corrective action. 2 - If we do not hear from you within 30 days, a FINAL REMINDER letter will be sent to you. This letter will remind you that corrective action is still outstanding giving you a further 5 days to submit the relevant information required. 3 - Failure to submit corrective action after the additional 5 days are offered will result in the SUSPENSION of your certificate. You will not be able to sell any organic produce until satisfactory corrective action is received and approved by the certification team. Please ensure at the time of your inspection you ask your inspector for clarification if you are unsure of the details of any noncompliance that is raised. Alternatively following your inspection if you still have queries please contact the office within the 30 day timescale to discuss further. Please do not ignore any noncompliances that are raised as we have no option other than to suspend your certificate if appropriate corrective action is not received within the timescale detailed above. Seed Derogations—Another reminder Download derogation forms from www.sopa.org.uk/members/downloads (you will need to log in to your SOPA account to access these) Single Variety seeds PRIOR TO PURCHASE Seed mixes (derogation required for the non-organic allowance in the mix) PRIOR TO SOWING Contacting the Office—0131 335 6606 If automated call directs irritate you, call us direct on 0131 335 6606. This number will take you straight to the SOPA team in the SFQC office. We like email too! info@sopa.org.uk 2
Time to address your Fasciola hepatica plan As we approach spring turnout in the next month or so, the SOPA TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) have asked that I remind organic livestock producers about liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) management. Managing Liver fluke in organic systems is something the <strong>Organic</strong> Monitor Farm Community Group have been discussing. The big challenge is treating organic stock during the fattening period and meeting the required withdrawal period. It’s ok to treat for fluke The majority of SOPA livestock management plans we see in the office have a fluke management programme so SOPA members should have no reluctance to use appropriate flukicides if animals are infected. How do you know if you have fluke? Always ask the abattoir for a liver report. However, be aware that this report will only tell you if there is fluke damage to the liver—it will not specify if the damage is from active (alive) fluke, or if it is scarring from historic infection. The important thing is to find out if the animal had live fluke damage because you can use this evidence to treat the rest of the herd/ flock. You can test dung for fluke eggs but due to the fluke life cycle (see below), regular tests will be necessary over a period of 1-3 weeks. The animal will shed fluke eggs for only 2 weeks so regular sampling helps gather accurate evidence. Moredun Institute are trialling blood test for fluke infection—these hope to be more accurate than current testing regimes and if successful will certainly help accurate diagnosis, and by inference accurate treatment. Ask your Vet Your vet should be able to help you devise a programme to treat infected animals. You should then record this programme in your SOPA Livestock Management Plan, and remember the office will need to approve any changes. Just email it in to info@sopa.org.uk. If re-infection is a threat, all stock will probably have to be treated. Different products treat different stages of the fluke and it is important to avoid overuse that may lead to product resistance or misuse (see over). We understand that fluke has become prevalent throughout all of Scotland in recent years and with the ill-effects on animal health and welfare there is really no excuse not to treat. THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE LIVER FLUKE 2 weeks 24 hours 4-8 weeks 3 days 6 months Day 1 Day 15 Day 16 Day 44-72 Day 73-76 Day 77-257 Eggs secreted in dung to external environment Eggs hatch and must find secondary host (mud snail) First larval stage infiltrate mud snail Larvae excreted from snail Larval attach to blade of grass and build a protective cyst Grass eaten; animal ingests the cyst A mature fluke is flat and no larger than a penny 24 hours Day 258 3 days Day 258-261 6-8 weeks Day 303-317 Immature fluke emerges from cyst and travel into animal intestine Immature fluke burrows from intestine into animal liver Fluke penetrates and infects liver until mature 3
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Page 5 and 6: Retailing organic -some thoughts fo
Page 7 and 8: Organic Red Meat Retail Sales Data
Page 9 and 10: Organic Red Meat Retail Volume and
Page 11 and 12: FARMING AWARDS 2013 —NOMINATE NOW

organicNEWS - Scottish Organic Producers Association

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