The Soil Association has opened a new 60-day consultation to gather feedback from Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector as it evaluates proposed updates to its organic standards.

The association, which developed the world’s first organic standards in the 1960s, is engaging farmers, vets, food processors, feed manufacturers and other stakeholders to assess changes arising from recent amendments to the EU Organic Regulation.

The proposals address several operational areas for its licensees in Northern Ireland, including permitted inputs for fertilisers, soil conditioners and nutrients, as well as additives and processing aids for animal feed and processed food. The association is also consulting on a potential update to country-of-origin labelling to reflect previous revisions to EU rules.

All Soil Association licensees in Northern Ireland are required to meet EU organic production laws while adhering to the organisation’s enhanced expectations across public health, animal welfare and environmental protection. The consultation aims to ensure these standards remain demanding yet practical for businesses operating across farming, growing, feed milling and food processing.

The engagement process is open both within and beyond Northern Ireland to support the association’s broader work on UK-wide standards and regulatory developments. Responses will be reviewed by the independent Soil Association Standards Board to guide next-stage decisions.

Soil Association director of standards innovation Sarah Compson highlighted the value of industry feedback, noting that “organic farmers are pioneers in sustainable food production” and stressing that the association’s proposed updates on veterinary treatments, fertilisers and feed additives aim to keep standards “at the leading edge of best practice.”

The consultation period runs until 3 February, with further details available on the association’s Standards Innovation hub.

Explore the full article for deeper insight into the consultation process.