Introduction

Organic farming could be simply defined as a compendium of agriculture techniques which usually excludes the use of synthetic chemical products like fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, etc. with the objective of preserving the environment, maintaining or increasing the soil fertility and to provide food which contain all their natural properties

Legislation

The organic agriculture has been legally regulated in Spain since 1989, year in which the “Reglamento de la Denominación Genérica "Agricultura Ecológica” was approved. This remained in force until the regulation (CEE) 2092/91 about organic agriculture production and its indications on agricultural products and foodstuffs was implemented.

At present, from the 1st of January 2009, organic production is regulated by the regulation (CE) 834/2007 , the Council on production and labelling of organic products and repealing the Regulation (CEE) 2092/91 and R(CE) 889/2008 from the commission who lay down detailed rules of application for R(CE) 834/2007 with regard to organic production, labelling and R(CE) 1235/2008 Commission laying down detailed rules for implementation of R(CE) 834/2007, in regard to imports of organic products from third countries. (See section "Relevant Documents / Legislation").

Control

In Spain, the control and certification of the organic agriculture production is the competence of the Autonomous Communities (Comunidades Autónomas). They are mostly conducted by public control authorities, through Organic Agricultural councils or committees, which are dependent agencies from their correspondent Agricultural Councils or Departments or directly from General Directories.

Nevertheless, the Autonomous communities of Andalusia and Castilla La Mancha have authorized private agencies for the realization of these functions. In Aragon’s case the competent authorities have designated a public supervisory authority together with private control agencies.

All the packaged units in addition to their own branding and certain specific organic agriculture mentions are printed with the authorities or control body code or logo, as a way to identify them as organic products. The communitarian AE logo should also be printed from the 1st of July 2010, accordingly with the legal specifications.

All this means that the farm or industry that has produced the product is subject to checks and inspections from their correspondent Authority. It constitutes the only official guaranteed that the product corresponds with the quality expected by the customer and that it complies with all the norms established in the regulation (CE) 834/2007 and it applications.

Development and Evolution of Organic Farming in Spain

Our country meets all the favourable conditions for this type of agriculture, due to their climate and farming production systems. With respect to the animal production, the conservation of an important and large genetic heritage of native breeds and their adaptation to the environment favours their exploitation in an extensive regime. Let’s not forget the tradition and the development reached by the apiculture, which with careful handling have obtained products of an excellent quality and abundance due to the variety of flora existing in Spain.