September is officially National Organic Month, a time to celebrate and promote organic food and farming practices in the UK. Here at First Grade International we are proud to offer a variety of organic products to our customers, including organic desiccated coconut, coconut chip, sugar, syrup, and more! In this month’s blog we’re exploring what exactly the label ‘organic’ actually means, and how it helps promote sustainable agriculture and living. We’re going to look at the entire supply chain, from farm to fork, to see how organic food ends up in your kitchen.
What does ‘organic’ mean?
Organic food is food that is grown or produced using farming methods that work hand-in-hand with nature, without the routine use of synthetic pesticides and artificial fertilisers, and without genetically modified (GM) ingredients. For animal products the Soil Association specifies that livestock must be given lots of outdoor space, receive high standards of welfare, and eat a natural diet.
How is organic food farmed?
Organic farming starts with the soil. Instead of using artificial chemicals and fertilizers to make their crops grow, organic farmers instead rely on traditional methods of crop rotation and natural compost/manure to boost their soil health. When they plant their seeds, they make sure not to use GMO product. Instead, they use non-GM seeds and rely on methods such as crop rotation and biodiversity to manage pests and disease. Farmers will also use natural barriers on their farms such as hedgerows, grass strips, and rocky terrain to protect against weather and pests.
Once the crops have been harvested and processed into their final product (making sure during processing that the organic food is kept separate to non-organic), the organic food is then sold.
What is the Soil Association?
Every stage in the organic supply chain needs to be regulated and monitored to ensure that organic food stays organic. In the UK, organic products can be easily identified in supermarkets by the Soil Association logo. The Soil Association is the UK’s leading food and farming charity that works with farmers and food processors to campaign for sustainable and humane land use, farming, and food. Back in the 1960s, they developed some of the world’s first formal organic standards, and today they inspect and license over 70% of all organic food sold in the UK.
As part of these regulations, farms and food businesses must:
- follow legally defined organic standards
- keep detailed records of how food is produced
- have their farm, land and processes inspected at least once a year
- show full traceability from farm to finished product
What is the difference between ‘natural’ and ‘organic’?
In the supermarket you may also see food labelled as ‘natural’ and assume it is the same as ‘organic’, but these two terms have a crucial difference. The label ‘organic’ is a legal term, subject to strict regulations approved by independent bodies like the Soil Association. However, natural food and drink is mostly unregulated and doesn’t have a clear-cut definition or set of standards like organic.
When you make the decision to buy an organic product, you are supporting environmental health, animal well-being, and farm sustainability. You are part of an ethical, collaborative supply chain that involves farmers, distributors, retailers, and you, the conscious consumer.
Organic Ingredients at First Grade International
At FGI, we often receive requests for organic ingredients, and our Soil Association Certification helps us to proudly and confidently meet those requirements. As an importer and trader of bulk organic ingredients, our responsibility is not to control how the crop is physically grown on the farm, but to make sure that the organic status established at origin is properly verified, documented and maintained through the supply chain we control.
Before purchasing and selling a product as organic, we are required to check that suppliers are correctly certified and that products being sourced fall within the appropriate certification scope. Our organic ingredients are imported from countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. These imports are subject to additional regulatory controls, including a GB Certificate of Inspection (COI) for each consignment. This provides an important link between the organic certification at origin and the product entering the Great Britain organic supply chain.
Once the goods are under our control, we are responsible for maintaining their identity, traceability and organic status. That’s why our organic ingredients are stored at an appropriately certified third-party warehouse ensuring organic controls continue to be maintained while the products are in storage. If our customer is manufacturing or handling a product that will continue to be marketed as organic, the customer must have the appropriate organic certification for their own activities.
This chain of control is a fundamental part of what gives our final customer confidence in the organic claim. Our role is to make sure that organic integrity is maintained throughout the part of that chain under our control, with our activities independently inspected each year by Soil Association Certification.
Check out all the organic products that First Grade International has to offer on our website portfolio: https://www.fg-int.co.uk/product-brochure/