Organic agriculture and livestock farming are fashionable and for good reason:organic products are better for health and for the environment! Organic food is produced according to precise European rules. Learn how to recognize organic products on the shelves.
Growing, organic farming complies with dedicated European regulations (EC regulation n°834/2007). All organic operators, whether producers, processors or importers, must submit to certification by an independent body approved by the INAO (National Quality Institute) which controls their activity (the list is available here).
France is the 3rd area of the European Union in organic farming, and the 7th in the world. This market preserves local agriculture since 69% of organic products consumed in France are French!
To obtain an organic plant , it is absolutely necessary that the seeds or plants themselves be organic. In other words, the mother plant of the seed or seedling must itself come from organic farming. Synthetic pesticides are prohibited in organic production :it is a search for sustainable management for agriculture and improvement of consumer health (see "The benefits of organic food" below).
It is a virtuous circle:organic agriculture does not depend on conventional agriculture to produce its seeds. There is indeed a sector of organic seeds whose specificities meet the requirements of organic. However, there are some exceptions to this rule for very specific cases of vegetables that are difficult to reproduce.
GMOs, Genetically Modified Organisms, are strictly prohibited in organic products.
To meet the requirements of the organic sector , animals from certified organic farms are fed with food itself from organic farming. This system again makes it possible to guarantee the independence of organic from conventional agriculture.
Certain rules are also inseparable from the breeding of certified organic animals :
For more details, a French specification (approved by a decree) supplements the European regulations and dictates the methods of production of animal species.
Several studies show the positive impact of organic farming and animal husbandry on the environment and health.
By prohibiting the use of synthetic chemicals to treat crops (pesticides), organic farming tends to:
By placing oneself on the side of the consumer, the observation would also be instructive. A study conducted by INRA would show a 25% reduction in the risk of cancer (all types combined) among regular consumers of food from organic farming and livestock!
Did you know that organic farming could have an impact on the nutritional value of food? A study conducted by ANSES in 2003 (National Health Security Agency) partly shows the nutritional benefits of organic food:
To find your way between organic products and products from conventional agriculture or livestock, you need to know the keys to labeling.
Although optional, the "AB" logo is often found on certified organic products. ". It is a French brand of Agence Bio belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture. The logo of the European Union, called "eurofeuille", is mandatory and determines compliance with European regulations on organic farming.
These logos also indicate that the products:
Other logos of independent certifying bodies (9 are recognised) can be affixed to the packaging (logo "Ecocert", "Certipaq", or even "Bureau Veritas Certification" for example). These organizations sometimes supplement the European regulations with private specifications.
Under the logos, there is a mention of certification followed by a code “FR-BIO-XX”. This code is specific to the approved certification body. The country of origin appears if at least 98% of the ingredients originate from this country, otherwise the mentions "EU" and/or "NON-EU" are affixed.
When you can't eat at home, eating organic can seem difficult. However, there are specifications (approved by a decree) dedicated to catering outside the home and of a commercial nature. Restaurant owners who want to offer food and dishes from organic farming and breeding are notified to the Agence bio.
It defines three levels of restaurant operator involvement in organic food:
Except for the first case, these restaurateurs must be certified by an independent body as preparers. They can communicate on this activity by affixing the "AB" logo, but not the Eurosheet.
You can find restaurants that offer organic food in the Agence bio directory!
