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The History of the OGS Revision |
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Latest update: 31st of March 2010
The OGS review process: 2003-2005:
In November 2003, the IFOAM World Board decided to undertake a Review
of the Organic Guarantee System. The purpose of the review was to
identify an Organic Guarantee System that will best implement IFOAM's
mission in the changed global environment, which includes the
proliferation of government regulations, labeling initiatives
(including those within powerful private supply chains), and the rapid
growth of all organic sectors including the number of certifiers.
The IFOAM mission includes both leading and uniting the organic
movement in service to the goal of worldwide adoption of organic
agriculture. IFOAM has established 5 intermediate goals upon the
foundation of its mission. The OGS is related to the fourth goal, as
follows: "IFOAM promotes the development of organic markets"
This goal reflects that organic agriculture can only be adopted
worldwide, if the markets for organic products are further developed.
In this context the decision to embark on the review was based on the
following considerations:
- The GA 1998 asked the Board to clarify the role of the IFOAM
Basic Standards “To resolve the conflict between the role of the
standards as being a reflection of the majority and the wishes to
“improve” organic agriculture by introduction of requirements that go
further than the practices of the majority”.
- The IFOAM program 2005 as presented to the GA 2002 called for a
review, as follows: IFOAM and some of its members have spent
considerable resources on the development of the Guarantee
System. At the same time many IFOAM members are not participating
in the system and/or feel it has no relevance for them. Before the next
GA, IFOAM will undertake a comprehensive review of the Guarantee System
including how it serves IFOAM and its members. The World Board will
present the results of the review and its recommendations to the GA
2005.
- A number of surveys show that many members don’t know the OGS,
don’t understand it or don’t see it as contributing to goals such as
harmonization.
- IFOAM has not managed to get government recognition of the system
and therefore the system doesn’t work as the harmonizing mechanism that
was intended.
- Many IFOAM Accredited Certification Bodies certify a large number
of producers and processors outside their IFOAM Accreditation program.
As a result, equivalence and recognition within the group of ACBs is
limited.
- The WB has revised the mission of IFOAM and embarked on strategic
planning, which, among others call for making the OGS more accessible.
In order to proceed with the review the WB appointed a special Task Force
and engaged stakeholders in an ambitious consultation.
First Consultation
With assistance from the Task Force, IFOAM held a first consultation in
February, 2004 at BioFach, where participants were given an opportunity
to express their opinions about the Organic Guarantee System and how it
should be taken into the future. Noting the comments, the OGS Review
Task Force (ORTF) developed four scenarios.
Second Consultation
The scenarios describe different options for how a future Organic
Guarantee System could be structured and how it would fundamentally
function, and even included an option for eliminating the OGS (which
was rejected in consultation). In the second consultation of the
Review, respondents were asked to evaluate and comment on the four
scenarios. The consultation was not a vote on any scenario but rather
to get some indication of the direction in which the Organic Guarantee
System should be changed and feedback on criteria that should be used
to evaluate the options for the OGS. The two Scenarios that
interested respondents most (Scenarios B and C) share common points
such as a revamp of the IFOAM norms to make them more accessible, but
diverge in the method by which the "guarantee" in the guarantee system
would be implemented. The "B" scenario reflected the current
method (IFOAM Accreditation by IOAS to the two norms). The "C"
scenario set up a new program to register certification bodies who
could be supervised by either the IOAS orother supervision bodies.
Third Consultation
The World Board reviewed results of the second consultation and decided
to move the two Scenarios forward in a third consultation process, held
during the fourth quarter of 2004. Feedback came through written
consultation and also at a Summit of IFOAM leaders, where the OGS
Review was discussed intensively. The feedback indicated that neither
of the two scenarios are distinctly preferred, but a consensus emerged
that the system should be more accessible while retaining credibility
and value. In particular, there was a question about whether a
registration scheme proposed in Scenario C would provide sufficient
value to make it feasible. But the registration scheme was also
seen as potentially offering the most access to the system.
Fourth Consultation
The Task Force and the WB then proceeded to develop a single proposal
to move forward, taking the following factors into consideration:
-
Summit and Consultation Feedback, including all prior consultations.
-
Compatibility with the "universe" of organic regulation and trade.
-
Convergence with the work of the International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture (ITF).
-
IFOAM Mission/goal: Unification, leadership, and worldwide assistance towards the adoption of organic agriculture.
- Different stages of development in organic sectors [from just emerging
to (over)regulated], and especially the needs of the sectors in
developing countries.
IFOAM received a total of 50 responses to its consultation on the
proposal. 30 of these are written responses to IFOAM's invitation to
members and other key stakeholders to comment. Another 20 are results
of interviews conducted by the OGS Review Task Force, which were
primarily targeted at the governments and CBs that do not participate
in the IFOAM Accreditation Program.
The results of the above consultation on the Organic Guarantee System
indicated that there is not sufficient consensus to create a
substantially new OGS. Nonetheless, the results also showed that there
is big support in the organic world to make the system more accessible
and to encourage cooperation. The Task Force made several concrete
proposals upon which the World Board in June 2005 concluded that the best
way to proceed would be to develop certain elements of these proposals,
particularly those around which consensus developed. Those were:
- Comprehensive Review and Revision of IBS that has the effect to differentiate organic from non-organic.
- Continued revision of IAC for greater accessibility for certification bodies.
- Revision of IAC and IAP procedures to facilitate acceptance and cooperation with other systems.
- Development of IFOAM Family of Certification Standards (approval of regional or issue based standards).
- IFOAM Norms to be publicly available as international standards.
- IFOAM “Certification Body Forum” for cooperation between certification bodies.
- Certifier training and technical assistance (connected also to CB Forum).
- Financial Assistance program for low-resourced certifiers.
Also the following elements for additional discussion were identified by the Task Force and the WB:
- Option within IFOAM Accreditation Program for accreditation to IFOAM Accreditation Criteria only.
- Access for other accreditors to perform IFOAM Accreditation.
- A new Seal for the OGS.
- New forms of cooperation with governments.
As a result of these changes the OGS would be oriented more towards harmonization and majority practices.
The WB acknowledged that re-orientation of OGS, would result in a need
to promote Best Practices in organic in a more distinct way and that
new programs would have to be designed to that end.
The WB also acknowledged that the procedures involved in all the
aspects of the OGS needed to be revised to ensure a simpler and
transparent system without redundant bureaucracy.
Based on the above considerations the WB submitted a motion to IFOAM
General Assembly, in September 2005 in Adelaide, seeking the
endorsement of the GA to revise the OGS in line with the above
proposals.
At the General Assembly 2005, the WB motion received significant support and
was approved with a few amendments. The approval signifies the end of
the review process and beginning of the actual OGS revision.
The OGS revision process: 2005-2010:
Background Information
Based
on the decision of the IFOAM General Assembly in September 2005 IFOAM
has been revising the Organic Guarantee System (OGS) with the aim of
creating more access to it. IFOAM decided that the OGS, while always
upholding the integrity of organic agriculture, should aim to
facilitate trade and be able to accommodate all serious organic
certification bodies and their clients.
For further information about the big picture of the OGS Revision please download:
The History of the OGS revision up to the decision of the General Assembly can be found here: History of the OGS Revision
Download the GA mandate here: GA Approved Motion on OGS Revision
Call for Motions on the Committee Final Draft of the IBS
(Deadline for Motions: 15 April 2008)
All
IFOAM Members and other stakeholders are invited to send in motions on
the Committee Final Draft of theIFOAM Benchmark for Standards.
This call for motions should not be confused with a call for motions for the IFOAM General Assembly. The IBS motions process is only for specific editing to the draft.
The
GA Motions process could be used to raise discussion at the GA on the
implementation of the OGS Revision, including the role of the
Benchmark. The schedule for final member voting on the Benchmark is
after the General Assembly.
The invitation to comment including instructions for writing motions can be downloaded here:
Process and Instructions for Motions on the Committee Final Draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards.
To read the procedure that will be followed for the motions, motions reconciliation, and decision on the Benchmark, click here.
Please note that the definition of 'organic agriculture'
in the definitions section of the Benchmark is subject to a separate
process and still awaits approval of the IFOAM World Board.
I.e. the definition may change according to the WB's decision, but it is not subject to motions on the Committee Final Draft!
Committee Final Draft
The Committe Final Draft, i.e. the 3rd IBS revision draft, can be downloaded here:
Committee Final Draft of the IBS - Basic Version
Committee Final Draft of the IBS – ‘Tracked Changes’ Version (including changes from first to second draft and second to final draft)
You
are also invited to read a description of the process of the Standards
Committee and World Board leading to the final draft and the results of
the process:
Commentary – Benchmark Process
Responses to Comments on the 2nd Revision Draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards
The
comment period on the 2nd Revision Draft is now closed. The Standards
Committee and the Executive Board have acknowledged and formulated
responses to all comments and, taking the comments into consideration,
have revised the draft document. The compiled comments, the Standards
Committee’s responses and the changes from the 2nd Revision Draft to
the Committee Final (3rd) Draft can be downloaded here:
Compiled Comments, Responses to Comments and Changes on the 2nd Revision Draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards
Invitation to comment on 2nd Revision Draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards (Deadline for comments:13 December 2007)
All
IFOAM Members and other stakeholders are invited to comment on the 2nd
Revision of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards. The invitation to
comment including instructions for making comments can be downloaded
here: Invitation to comment on 2nd Revision draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards
The 2nd Revision Draft itself can be downloaded here: 2nd Revision draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards
As a background document you can also download The IFOAM Indicative List of Substances for Organic Production and Processing
Responses to Comments on the 1st Revision Draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards
The
comment period on the 1st Revision Draft is now closed. The World Board
and the Standards Committee have formulated responses to the comments
received. The compiled comments as well as the World Board and
Standards Committee responses to the general comments can be downloaded
here: Compiled Comments and IFOAM Responses to Comments on the 1st Revision Draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards.
Public Consultation on 1st revision draft of the new IFOAM Benchmark for Standards - Consultation Closed
Download the complete invitation here: Invitation to Comment on 1st Revision Draft of IFOAM Benchmark for Standards
Download the 1st revision draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards here: 1st Revision Draft of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards
For further information please download the following document: Question and Answers IFOAM Benchmark for Standards
If
you want to learn more about how the IBS revision fits into the OGS
revision, please refer to the document "The Revised Organic Guarantee
System" as hyper linked above and download the following Press Release
by IFOAM's President Gerald A. Herrmann.
The policies and procedures that govern the revision of the IFOAM Benchmark for Standards can be found in the OGS Policies Library.
If you want to discuss the 1st revision draft online with other members and stakeholders please visit the IBS Revision Draft Forum.
Vote on Policy for Norms Revisions - The vote is closed
Within the context of the OGS revision IFOAM is also revising those
policies and procedures for revisions of the IFOAM Basic Standards and
the IFOAM Accreditation Criteria (IFOAM Norms).
After
public consultation on the 1st draft the IFOAM WB invited all IFOAM
members on the 3rd of September to vote on the Final Draft of the
Policy for Revision of the IFOAM Norms.
For further information please download the invitation to vote here: Invitation to Vote on Policy for Norms Revisions
Download the final draft of the Policy here:
Final Draft Policy for Norms Revisions
The comments and the NMC responses to the comments on the 1st draft of the Policy can be downloaded here: NMC Responses to Comments on 1st Draft of Policy for Norms Revisions
To
learn more about how the new Policy would be applied in practice please
download also the 2nd draft of the Procedure for Norms Revisions here: Draft of 30th August 2007 of Procedure for Norms Revisions
Consultation on 1st Draft Policy for Norms Revisions - Consultation Finished
Download
the invitation to comment on the 1st revision draft including
background, rationale and instructions for commenting here: Invitation to Comment on Draft Norms Revision Policy
Download the 1st draft of the Policy here: Draft Policy for Revision of the IFOAM Norms
For your information you might also refer to the Draft Procedure for Revision of the IFOAM Norms
OGS model proposal to the 2008 GA:
In January 2008, the IFOAM Standards Committee produced a final draft of the revised IBS (IFOAM Benchmark for standards) after comments from stakeholders in two comment periods. The refinement of the drafts, based on comments received, led the World Board first of all to a decision to change the working title of the document to IFOAM Requirements for Organic Standards (IROS) from the prior working title, IFOAM Benchmark for Organic Standards. Even more
significant, the final draft of the document helped the World Board to finalize its Working Concept for the revised Organic Guarantee System, subject to consideration of comments from IFOAM members. Due to the significant change in the Working Concept, the World Board also decided to postpone the decision phase of the IFOAM Requirements for Organic Standards, including the motions, in order to allow for members to assess the document again in the context of the final OGS Working Concept. For more information on the OGS model presented and discussed at the 2008 IFOAM GA, click here.
Outcome and follow-up of the 2008 GA regarding the OGS:
The 2008 GA extensively discussed the OGS. The following recommendation and decisions were passed:
Recommendation: Continually improve the IFOAM Organic Guarantee System as an international harmonization tool, develop mechanisms to maintain organic integrity, and provide support for the IFOAM accreditation program.
Decisions:
1) That this assembly directs the World Board to balance and augment its focus on harmonization as its principle pursuit and re-establish IFOAM as a leader in technical standards setting and recapture IFOAM´s important role in shaping the nature of Organic Agriculture.
2) This Assembly expects the IFOAM Basic Standards to be maintained, developed and regularly revised as they are IFOAM´s identity and protection of its integrity.
3) This assembly wishes final political (not technical) decisions on final proposals concerning the Organic Guarantee System to be taken by the general assembly.
Following the 2008 GA, a Task Force has been assigned by the Executive Board to review options and make proposals to the WB on how to finalise and start implementation of the new OGS. Members of the Task Force were Mildred Steidle (Germany), Robert Simmons (USA) and Vitoon Panyakul (Thailand), Beate Huber (Switzerland/Germany).
Following the completion of the Task Force's work and report, the IFOAM World Board has been working on a new OGS scenario, which was put for consultation to the IFOAM membership early 2010. To see this new scenario, go to the OGS revision section.
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