Quebec Organic Reference Standard Organic Production and Preparation Plan

 

4. Organic Production and Preparation Plan

4.1 
4.2 
4.3 
4.4 
4.5 
4.6 

As mentioned in the preamble to these standards, the use of the designation "organic" refers to agricultural and food products resulting from the application of a set of production techniques or from a procedure. Quality control thus requires that enterprises wishing to use this designation for their products shall submit a written plan to the certifier, in which they describe the techniques they intend to use, as well as their production or processing plan. Whenever these enterprises sell both organic products and non-organic products, they shall also demonstrate to the certifier, that they have measures in place to prevent any mixing or commingling.

This type of planning has two specific goals:


a. 
To ensure that every operator has outlined the way of managing the transition of the enterprise towards an optimal organic resource use system;

b. 
To provide the certification body with the information necessary to evaluate the enterprise's transition activities and to make informed certification decisions.

An organic production plan is a document drafted by the operators themselves, in accordance with a format stipulated by the certification body. It describes how the agricultural enterprise is conducted within the context of respecting the standards. Their annual updates would thus reflect changes and improvements made to the enterprise's management system.

Annual inspection provides, within context of the certification program, a comprehensive picture of the enterprise, making it possible to validate the progress made in realizing the organic production plan.


4.1 Organic Crop Production Plan

An Organic Crop Production Plan shall describe the major components of the enterprise's operations in relation to organic practices: soil management, crop rotation, fertilizing, crop protection, harvests and post-harvest procedures.

Organic agriculture involves much more than a production concept with a list of acceptable inputs and banned materials. It is really a management system, an approach that is based on a long-term natural balance of an agricultural enterprise's resources. The increase in the level of organic material and the improvement of its quality are evidence of fertility and balance which will reflect the enterprise's general state of health. An agricultural production plan should normally tend towards a decrease in agricultural inputs, even those considered as being acceptable in organic agriculture.

4.1.1 Every producer shall submit a crop production plan to the certification body.

4.1.2 This organic production plan shall include the following :

  

a. 
a detailed map of the farm including the following:
  • The allotment plan for farm plots showing their relation to each other;
  • A logical plot numbering system that also shows areas (in hectares);
  • Wood lots, windbreaks, farm buildings and roads, all watercourses showing water run-off direction and geographical north relative to the farm;
  • Location of all production and storage facilities.
b. 
a description of production and crop rotation plans;

c. 
for crop production, a detailed description of seedling sources and/or seedling production methods, seed sources and production problems;

d. 
a description of cultivation techniques and types of machinery used; a profile of erosion risks and proposed corrective measures;

e. 
a description of the enterprise's fertilization program, including manure management, quantities used, application periods, their sources and origins, and composting methods. A description of other production methods aimed at increasing organic matter, such as green manure crops and harvest residue management. A plan to prevent leaching from liquid and solid manure, and environmental protection measures;

f. 
a detailed description of all agricultural inputs (fertilizer and crop protection) permitted by the standards, their sources and a justification for their use;

g. 
a description of the enterprise's watershed and pollution control measures; including a description of sources and quality profiles of water used for irrigation;

h. 
a description of crop protection issues and insect control strategies, as well as examining problems related to past practices;

i. 
a description of potential sources of contamination from prohibited substances, problems from neighbouring areas and buffer zones. In cases where enterprise is not fully converted to organic production, a description of the management system to prevent any contamination or breakdown of organic integrity;

j. 
a description of inventory management practices and the risks of commingling of organic with non-organic stocks;

k. 
for wild crops, a detailed plan of harvest areas of wild plant species and a three-year history of compliance with the standards including a description of the harvesting methods used and proposed measures for protecting wild plant species.

4.1.3 For wild plant and mushroom crops, the organic production plan shall include the following elements :

a. 
A detailed plan of the harvest areas
b. 
The location of neighbouring areas that present a high risk of contamination for the harvest areas;

c. 
A history of ongoing compliance with the standards over the last three years;

d. 
A description of the harvest methods used;

e. 
A description of the planned measures for protecting species that inhabit or frequent the harvest area;

f. 
A description of the measures that will be taken to ensure the sustainability of protected plant species; the measures must be consistent with the other existing requirements;

g. 
A list of the measures put in place to ensure compliance of the harvested products, which shall include:
  • A standard contract to be signed with the subcontractors who have been retained to carry out harvesting operations; this document shall include the name and other contact information of the person in charge, a description of the harvesting operations carried out, the duration of the contract and the commitment to comply with the present standards signed by the parties concerned;
  • The registry used to record the names of harvesters and the quantities harvested by each of them
  • The applicant’s plan for visiting all wild-crop harvest areas in the production plan over a maximum period of (5) years. 
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4.2 Organic Livestock Production Plan

Enterprises having livestock integrated within their operations shall describe their practices within an organic livestock production plan.

4.2.1 This plan shall include the following elements:

  1. a detailed description of the sources of livestock;
  2. a description of production methods;
  3. a description of livestock management plans regarding the feeding, health care, breeding and related problems with production in compliance with these standards.

4.2.2 All livestock shall be identified individually or, in the case of small mammals or poultry, by herd or flock; or for bees by hive. Written and/or documentary accounts shall be kept on livestock husbandry and bee colonies, such that audit trails can be carried out within the production system, for the purpose of verification.

4.2.3 The plan shall specifically include the following elements:

 

a. 
the pedigree and/or origin of the livestock;

b. 
the source of acquisition for each animal;

c. 
a health plan that will be implemented to prevent and limit disease, injury and reproductive problems;

d. 
all treatments and medicines administered for any purpose, including quarantine periods and the identification of animals or herd treated;

e. 
a list of the feed provided and the source of feedstuffs given to animals;

f. 
Livestock movements, including:
  1. stock within the unit,
  2. beehives and bee movement within designated forage areas (indicated on maps).
g. 
the sale of animals;

h. 
transport of livestock outside of a production unit;

i. 
slaughter, including of description of pre-slaughter management, including handling methods for livestock taken to slaughterhouse, intended to keep stress levels at a minimum, and to ensure drinking water and feed for those kept for more than 24 hours;

j. 
Description related to extraction, processing and storage of all products obtained from the animals.
 

4.2.4 The plan shall mention all the suppliers of services such as livestock transport, slaughtering, etc. and demonstrate how the activity of each is capable of maintaining the organic integrity of animal production.

4.2.5 The Operator shall undertake the keeping of detailed and up-to-date records relating to the above-mentioned elements.
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4.3 Organic Product Preparation Plan

Enterprises preparing organic products shall include the following items:

 

a. 
a description of all activities for which the enterprise is responsible, including but not limited to harvesting, preparation, packaging, labelling, processing, storage and distribution of products with organic content, along with their transport;

b. 
a description of all procedures and instructions pertaining to the these activities as well as control measures used within these various steps in order to maintain organic integrity;

c. 
a list of all substances and ingredients used in the processing and handling processes for both organic and non-organic products, including ingredients used for curing and smoking;

d. 
a schematic flowchart illustrating the general routing of organic products throughout their processing and handling, including an identification of equipment and facilities used;

e. 
a description of the risk management system for the prevention of commingling of organic and non-organic products, specifically during transport and storage, and along with references to containers and packaging used;

f. 
a description of procedures aimed at preventing any contamination by substances prohibited by these standards, whether manufacturing aids, enzymes, pest control products, cleaning products, and other chemical substances;

g. 
a description of infestation problems encountered and the chemical and non-chemical pest control techniques used;

h. 
a description of procedures intended to prevent products from undergoing prohibited procedures, such as fumigation, irradiation, etc.;

i. 
an explanation of the reasons for using non-organic agricultural ingredients and also a written description of the efforts undertaken to find an organic substitute for any particular non-organic agricultural ingredient used, and any progress made during previous years to eliminate this non-organic ingredient;

j. 
a description of water usage during the handling operation, and also water quality analyses carried out by a recognized laboratory;

k. 
a description of the internal record keeping system and accounts pertaining to products for which an application for certification is being made;

l. 
a written description of efforts undertaken to reduce solid or liquid wastes, and also air emissions produced during handling and processing, and any efforts devoted to recycling, such as using recycled material and reducing packaging;

m. 
a written description of any personnel training efforts relative to product preparation.
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4.4 Keeping Accounts and Records

4.4.1 Enterprises submitting an application to have their products certified and even those that have obtained certification, shall maintain accounts and records, and make these documents available to the certification body. Enterprises involved in production shall maintain up-to-date records on substances used and also keep accounts of their operations. For those enterprises carrying out operations related to product preparation, records shall include a list of all known operators who sell, transport or store products, from their reception right through to their packaging. These documents shall include all information that could be used to demonstrate compliance with these standards through meeting the following minimal requirements:

 

a. 
provide traceability for audit purpose for all product ingredients, from raw materials to finished products;

b. 
contain all information related to processing and handling operations undergone by a product before its final packaging;

c. 
be understandable;

d. 
be accessible to inspectors for verification at any time;

e. 
be kept for a minimum period of five (5) years.
 

4.4.2 For each enterprise applying for certification or possessing an organic compliance certificate, general accounting practices relative to products with organic content shall permit follow-up on all transformation stages, from agricultural production to retailing, from transport, warehousing, storage, the processing itself, right up to packaging and labelling operations.

4.4.3 Records pertaining to certified products shall contain the following documents:

 

a. 
a copy of an attestation of certification, a valid certificate* or an official document having the same legal equivalence, proving that each organic product acquired was duly certified;

b. 
commercial documents such as purchase orders, delivery and invoice slips pertaining to organic products received, showing the nature, quantity and origin of each lot;

c. 
for unpackaged products, transporter's bills of lading along with details on transport and storage methods where applicable, used during various moves (e.g.: from one warehouse to another);

d. 
invoices and delivery documents pertaining to all product lots with organic content that are sold and shipped. Appearing on each document for each product shall be the name and brand, quantity, lot number, supplier’s name, purchaser’s name, as well as the name of the certification body that has monitored the most recent operation producing the certified product;

e. 
sales results, recorded in a continuous and regular manner according to fixed accounting periods;

f. 
regular inventory monitoring or merchandise flowcharts;

g. 
hygiene monitoring program for all facilities, accompanied by the list of the products used;

h. 
whenever fumigation operations are required, details of the operation should include date, kind of product used and address of the pest control service carrying out the operation (see conditions relating to fumigation);

i. 
pest control registries (if applicable);

j. 
complaint registry.
 

* An attestation of certification or a certificate is generally valid for a year, beginning from date of issue. The date of expiry shall always be shown on the document.

Should a certificate be valid for an extended period (e.g. four years), it is advisable to ask the certifier for a Lot Transaction Certificate for lots subject to a commercial transaction and/or make sure that the period between the date of the most recent inspection (appearing on the certificate) and the date of the product's purchase is less than a year.
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4.5 Analytical Tests

Soil or foliar tests are not regularly required but they are strongly recommended. They will however be obligatory in the event that the producer needs to provide evidence of nutritional deficiencies in order to justify the use of restricted inputs, or whenever some doubt exists regarding soil fertility maintenance.
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4.6 General Information

4.6.1 Applying organic methods shall in no case break any laws. Operators are responsible for ensuring they possess the required authorization they need to carry out the activities in which they are involved.

4.6.2 When applicable, a lot number shall be assigned to each product or to each product lot, thus making them easily identified and traceable.

4.6.3 For all inputs not included in these standards, an approval from the certifier shall be obtained by the user, prior to use.

 
   
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