Proceedings of the IFOAM workshop on Internal Control Systems (ICS)

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ICEA started to work on ICS 3 years ago for organic production. The certification body has some experience in ICS for typical products in contexts where <strong>the</strong> majority <strong>of</strong> producers have less than 5 ha and depend on <strong>the</strong> exporters. The Institute for Inspection and Certification <strong>of</strong> Slovenia is a certification body that is part <strong>of</strong> a public university. It does not have experience with ICS so far but is interested in investigating <strong>the</strong> potential for ICS in Slovenia. Naturland is an organization with 180 members which are small farmers organizations, representing more than 36,000 small scale farmers around <strong>the</strong> world. Most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m are working with ICS. Naturland participated, toge<strong>the</strong>r with IMO, in <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> concept <strong>of</strong> ICS in <strong>the</strong> South, especially by editing <strong>the</strong> first training manual on ICS. Given <strong>the</strong> real success <strong>of</strong> ICS in <strong>the</strong> South, and <strong>the</strong> fact that some farmers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> North are also constrained by certification costs, Naturland is interested in exploring <strong>the</strong> potential for ICS adoption in <strong>the</strong> North as well. Producer organizations were represented by Anton Pinsch<strong>of</strong> from FNAB (Fédération nationale d'agriculture biologique des régions de France), Jordy van den Akker from Nature et Progrès, Giuseppe Cilento from Cooperativa Cilento and Primoz Kriselj from <strong>the</strong> Union <strong>of</strong> organic farmers in Slovenia. Giuseppe Cilento is <strong>the</strong> president <strong>of</strong> a Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Italian cooperative encompassing 2,500 operators, most <strong>of</strong> which are very small farmers. The cooperative started to give farmers assistance for preparing papers for inspection, as well as providing assistance with marketing. The production systems encompass mainly olive oil and figs, with processing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> products and a system to recycle <strong>the</strong> by-products <strong>of</strong> processing. Nature et Progrès represents 360 farmers and o<strong>the</strong>r operators in France, and has a total <strong>of</strong> 600 affiliates. Nature et Progrès Tarn (one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> French counties) has 30 pr<strong>of</strong>essional members. They have been doing internal inspections for Nature et Progrès requirements for many years. Internal inspectors are not accredited by <strong>the</strong> French Government and <strong>the</strong> Nature et Progrès certification does not <strong>the</strong>refore deliver <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficial organic logo AB. To obtain <strong>the</strong> organic status for <strong>the</strong>ir products, farmers <strong>of</strong> Nature et Progrès must also be certified individually by an external accredited certification body. However, around 60 farmers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> group are only internally controlled and market <strong>the</strong>ir products under <strong>the</strong> sole “Nature et Progrès” logo. This system is based on Nature et Progrès’ long history and reputation and on <strong>the</strong> fact that consumers know and trust N&P. However, it does not allow N&P products to be traded as certified organic under EU law. Local N&P groups are geographically based and encompass farms with very different products. Primoz Kriselj is <strong>the</strong> Vice President <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Union <strong>of</strong> organic farmers in Slovenia. He explained that in Slovenia, <strong>the</strong>re are many small-scale farmers (although <strong>the</strong> national average is 8 ha per farm). He recalled that <strong>the</strong> definition <strong>of</strong> a small-scale farmer in <strong>the</strong> ICS context, as well as in a general context, still needs to be defined. 4
Consultancies in organic agriculture were represented by Gerald Herrmann from Organic Services (and president <strong>of</strong> <strong>IFOAM</strong>); Resat CAKMAK, private consultant for Razpunzel and Senad Hopic from Grolink. Gerald Herrmann explained that he is convinced that <strong>the</strong> way third party certification is done today will not allow all small family farms to be certified organic in <strong>the</strong> future, if we are planning a reasonable increase <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cultivated area dedicated to organic agriculture. If OA is to represent 20% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cultivated land in Europe, we are likely to face a situation where <strong>the</strong> bureaucratic machinery necessary to manage individual data <strong>of</strong> each farmer will be such that <strong>the</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> organic certification will be unreasonably high for society. There is <strong>the</strong>refore a need to explore new ways <strong>of</strong> organizing organic certification. ICS in <strong>the</strong> North is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se new ways and this <strong>workshop</strong> is a first step. Later, we shall have to explore how to move on <strong>the</strong> regulatory agenda (Codex, EU regulation, etc.). Resat CAKMAK has been working as a consultant for Razpunzel for 13 years, as project advisor. The company represents around 500 farmers in Turkey. He explained that <strong>the</strong> Turkish certification system is different: companies are <strong>the</strong> ones holding <strong>the</strong> organic certificate, not farmers. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, farmers have to undergo 100% external annual inspections. Resat CAKMAK recalled that government regulations can be changed, as shown by <strong>the</strong> recent change in <strong>the</strong> policy on certification <strong>of</strong> inputs in OA. Grolink acquired experience in ICS through assisting in <strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> smallholder groups for ICS (Wild Production) in Eastern Europe, as well as in o<strong>the</strong>r parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world (Africa). D. Brief Review <strong>of</strong> ICS history, experiences and trends Diane Bowen made a presentation on <strong>the</strong> background <strong>of</strong> ICS. She recalled that ICS for group certification has first been a concept for <strong>the</strong> “South” and is still so. She also mentioned <strong>the</strong> <strong>IFOAM</strong> position on smallholder group certification, which states that “In this submission we give our opinion about group certification for smallholders in developing countries. However we also want to point out that <strong>the</strong>re may be a number <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r situations where group certification concepts may be relevant and applicable, and we would like in <strong>the</strong> nearby future also to have a dialogue on <strong>the</strong>se issues”. The last sentence refers to <strong>the</strong> EU Commission in particular and governments in general. Diane explained that <strong>IFOAM</strong>s opinion is that <strong>the</strong>re may be situations in <strong>the</strong> North that merit attention to <strong>the</strong> ICS Model, although <strong>the</strong> history and main application is in <strong>the</strong> South. Diane Bowen explained that <strong>the</strong> interest <strong>of</strong> <strong>IFOAM</strong> lies in supporting organic certification in any way, and that includes supporting group certification in <strong>the</strong> North, since it has proved to work well in <strong>the</strong> South. <strong>IFOAM</strong> has a special role to play on ICS because it runs a global accreditation programme. <strong>IFOAM</strong>s activities towards harmonization <strong>of</strong> ICS requirements (including 3 <strong>workshop</strong>s ga<strong>the</strong>ring CBs, growers, 5
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Proceedings of the IFOAM workshop on Internal Control Systems (ICS)

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