Philippine National
Standards
Organic Agriculture
PNS for Organic Agriculture: General
Standards
Adopted in 2003 as PNS/BAFPS 07:2003
Prepared for the purpose of providing a
uniform approach to the requirements for
organic production.
Revised thru series of public consultation
Revised PNS for Organic Agriculture:
General Standards
Organic Agriculture standards consist of the following parts:
Part 1: Conversion to organic agriculture
Part 2: Crop production
Part 3: Animal Production
Part 4: Beekeeping
Part 5: Processing
Part 6: Special Products
Part 7: Labeling and Consumer Information
Part 1: Conversion to organic agriculture
Conversion
- Process of changing an agricultural system from conventional to organic
Conversion requirement for plant products
- 12 months for annuals
- 18 months for perennials
- Extended conversion for heavily treated land
- Exemption or shortening of conversion for traditionally farmed land
or non-farmed land
Part 1: Conversion to organic agriculture
Conversion requirement for animal products
Bovine (cattle and buffalo)
- Meat products: 12 months and at least ¾ of their life span in the organic management system;
- Calves for meat production: 6 months when brought in as soon as they are weaned
- Milk products: 90 days
Ovine and caprine (sheep and goats)
- Meat products: six months;
- Milk products: 90 days
Porcine (pork)
- Meat products: four months.
Poultry/laying hens (broiler and layers)
- Meat products: should be organically managed within 3 days after hatching
- Eggs: six weeks
Part 1: Conversion to organic agriculture
Conversion requirements for Organic Beekeeping
The transition period is 12 months for hived Apis mellifera and Apis
cerana.
The wax used for creating honeycombs should be made from organic
beeswax.
However, in cases where organic beeswax is not available, nonorganic beeswax may be used if beeswax is free from harmful
substances
CROP PRODUCTION:
Choice of Crops and Varieties
• 2.1.1 Seeds and planting materials shall be from organic production, when
available.
• 2.1.2 When certified organic seed and planting materials are not available,
conventional seed and planting materials may be used provided that they have
not been treated with pesticides and other inputs not permitted by these
Standards.
• 2.1.3 When untreated conventional seeds and planting materials are not
available, chemically treated seeds and planting materials may be used.
• 2.1.4
Non-organically produced but untreated seeds, bulbs, tubers and
planting materials derived from tissue culture may be used only if, an equivalent
organically produced variety is commercially unavailable,
2.1.5 seeds used for sprouts, must be organic.
CROP PRODUCTION:
Crop Rotation and Soil Management
Organic production systems are soil based and should care for the soil
and surrounding ecosystems in support of an increased diversity of
species, while encouraging nutrient cycling and mitigating soil and
nutrient losses.
•
•
•
•
Green manuring for annuals
Cover cropping for perennials
Intercropping
Mulching
CROP PRODUCTION:
Fertilization practices
2.3.1
Biodegradable materials of microbial, plant or animal origin
complying with this Standard, as listed in Appendix 2 table 2.1 must
be the basis of the fertilization program provided that it follows
proper composting methods.
2.3.2 When supplementary application of fertilizer is needed, the
materials must be certified as organic or comply to the requirements
of the Revised Philippine National Standard for Organic Fertilizer
(PNS/BAFPS 40:2013)
CROP PRODUCTION:
Pest, Disease and Weed Management
Preventive methods, such as disruption and elimination of pest habitat and access
to facilities, shall be the primary mean of pest management
• Synthetic pesticides are prohibited
• Products used for pest, disease and weed management prepared at the farm
from local plants and animals and microorganisms are allowed
• The release, of local and acclimatized predatory insects such as earwig and
Trichogramma, use of microbial pest control agents such as bacteria e.g. Bacillus
thuringiensis , viruses e.g. baculovirus, fungi e.g. B. bassiana, are allowed, subject
to appropriate existing phytosanitary regulations and measures, as well as
national registration requirements. (e.g. NCBP, BPI-PQS).
CROP PRODUCTION:
Pollution Control
• In case of reasonable suspicion of pollution, analysis of the
relevant products, crops and or soil should be done
• Establishment of buffer zones
• Protective structure or covering
CROP PRODUCTION:
Soil and Water Conservation
• Burning of organic matter is prohibited
• Measures on soil erosion and water conservation should be
taken into consideration
Part 3: Animal Production
1. Scope
• This standard establishes a system for
organic agriculture mainly for animal
production purposes.
Animal husbandry management
Management of the environment of the animals shall take into account the behavioral
needs of the animals and provide for:

Sufficient free movement;

Sufficient fresh air and natural daylight;

Protection against excessive sunlight, temperatures, rain, and wind;

Enough lying and/or resting area

An ample access to fresh water and feed
Herd animals shall not be kept individually. Sick animals and those
about to give birth can be kept separately for a limited period. The
Certification program may allow further exceptions in specific cases.
4.2 Breeds and breeding
4.2.1 Breeding goals are such that animal diversity should be
maintained. Indigenous breeds should be preserved and
promoted.
4.2.2 Embryo transfer techniques and cloning are not allowed.
Nevertheless artificial insemination are permitted.
4.2.3 The use of genetically engineered species or breeds is not
allowed.
Mutilation and animal identification
4.3.1 Mutilations are prohibited. However, the following methods
are exceptions in specific cases that these improve the welfare,
health or hygiene of the animals or for safety reasons:
Castration
Tail cutting
Trimming of beaks
De-horning
Nose and limb ringing, for restraining
Cutting of teeth
Animal Identification
The following methods of identification of animals are allowed
 Tattooing
 ear notching;
 ear tagging
 wing tagging
practices related to identification or mutilation shall cause minimal suffering,
and comply with existing regulatory requirements of the competent authority.
Qualified personnel should carry these practices at the most appropriate age.
Tethering of Animals
•
Keeping the animals tethered is prohibited. However the tethering of
animals is allowed if this is necessary for safety or welfare reasons, and
that such tethering is for a limited time only.
4.4 Animal nutrition
The following products shall not be included in, nor added to the
feed or in any other way be given to farm animals:

Synthetic growth promoters or stimulants

Synthetic appetizers

Preservatives, except when used as a processing aid

Artificial coloring agents

Urea

Farm animal by-products (e.g. abattoir waste) to

Droppings, dung or other manure;
ruminants
 Feed subjected to solvent extraction (e.g. with
addition of other chemical agents
hexane) or the
 Chemically isolated / synthetic amino acids
 Genetically engineered organisms or products thereof.
Only allowed products in the Annex should be used as additives and
processing aids in the silage.
The percentages of feed formulation should be followed the whole year
round. They can be calculated using average dry matter
requirements of farm animal varieties.
4.4.2 In specific cases, the these percentages of feed formulation may
be changed, with specific time limits and conditions in the following
cases:

Unforeseen severe natural or man-made events

Extreme climatic conditions.
Veterinary medicine
The well being of the animals is superior in the choice of illness
treatment. The use of allopathic drugs is allowed when no other
justifiable alternatives are available and when preventive measures are
not successful.
Where allopathic medicines are used, the withholding period shall be at
least double the legal period and at least 72 hours if not specified.
Vaccinations shall be used only when diseases are known to exist in the
region of the farm and cannot be controlled by other management
techniques. This always requires the approval of the Certification
Program. Legally required vaccinations are, however, allowed.
Genetically engineered live viral vaccines shall not be used.
Transport and slaughter
• The organic integrity of animals must be maintained throughout the
entire process of transport and slaughter. Each animal or group of
animals shall be identifiable at each step in the transport and
slaughter process
•
Must in accordance with the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act
• Appropriate tools should be used for the purpose of transport and
slaughter. Tools should be used in a manner that minimize stress and
does not injure the animals.
Manure management
• Manure management practices used to maintain any area in which
animals are housed, penned or pastured should be implemented in a
manner that:
a) Minimizes soil and water degradation;
b) Does not significantly contribute to contamination of water by nitrates and
pathogenic bacteria;
c) Optimizes recycling of nutrients; and
d) Does not include burning or any practice inconsistent with organic practices.
• All manure storage and handling facilities, including composting
facilities should be designed, constructed and operated to prevent
contamination of ground and/or surface water.
Free range areas and livestock housing
The animals must have access to feeding and watering stations.
Insulation, heating and ventilation of the buildings must ensure that
air circulation, dust level, temperature, relative humidity and gas
concentration are kept within limits which are not harmful to the
animals. The building must permit plentiful ventilation and light to
enter.
Part 4: Beekeeping
Species of Bees applicable
• Apis dorsata,
• Apis breviligula,
• Apis cerana
• Tetragonula spp.
• Lepidotrigona spp.
• Apis melllifera may also be considered
The use of hives
•
The hives shall be made basically of natural materials
•
These materials should present no risk of
contamination to the environment or the beekeeping
products.
•
Wild and hived colonies should be located in
organically managed fields and/or wild natural areas.
Hives must not be placed close to fields or other areas
where chemical pesticides are used.
•
Nests of wild or feral colonies of Apis dorsata, Apis
breviligula and stingless bees, Tetragonula spp. and
Leptotrigona spp. should be marked and protected
from hunters who may be harvesting unripe honey or
burn the colonies.
Radii for foraging of bees
• Stingless bees: 1km
• A. cerana: 2km
• Asian bee species 1-2km
• A. Meliferea: 5km
• Mixture & exotic bee species: 5km
Supplemental feeding
Supplemental feeding with honey and pollen should be done
during dearth period. The feed should come from organic
sources such as reserves of honey and pollen left during
harvesting intended for this purpose.
Breeding stocks
The starter colonies should be sourced from apiaries that are
free from pests (mites, small hive beetles) and diseases
(American Foul Brood, European Foul Brood, Virus diseases,
Fungal diseases).
Importation of Apis mellifera queens may be allowed from
countries with no known Africanized Honey Bee (AHB)
populations and colony collapse disorder (ccd). Importation
shall not be allowed for Apis cerana and stingless bee species
Pest and Disease Control /Disinfection
• Colonies infected with American Foul Brood should be
destroyed through burning. The use of antibiotics is
prohibited. For disease and pest control the following
products may be used: formic acid, lactic acid, sucrocide and
botanical compounds.
• Cleaning and disinfection should be done using heat using
blowtorch / flame torch or hot water, or other mechanical
means
Harvesting
• The use of chemical synthetic repellents is prohibited during
extraction of beekeeping products.
• The honey should be harvested only when ripe.
• A smoker consisting of fresh and dried leaves producing cool
smoke should be used during harvesting.
• A clean cloth or strainer may be used to separate the wax
from the honey.
• Food grade containers should be used in packing
Other provisions
Moisture content of extracted honey
- The Moisture Content of ripe honey should not be more than
23%
Apiary Conservation and Sustainability
- 20% of the honey comb or stores should be reserved and not
cut. this serves as A Food reserve of the bees during the dearth
period.
5. Processing
The integrity of the organic product must be maintained throughout the
processing phase.
This is achieved by the use of techniques appropriate to the specifics of
the ingredients with careful processing methods limiting refining and the
use of additives and processing aids.
Compliance to the relevant regulatory requirements i.e. Good
Manufacturing Practices and compliance to relevant regulatory agencies
(BAI, BPI, FDA, NMIS, DENR, and LGUs) should be met in conjunction
with the requirements of thE standard.
Postharvest operations
Organic produce shall neither be mixed nor switched with
non-organic produce. Handlers and processors shall not comingle organic products with non-organic products.
Which includes separation through time or place during
processing as well as proper cleaning of equipment if not
exclusively used for organic products and adequate
identification of ingredients
Warehousing and Distribution
Organic and non-organic products shall not be stored and
transported together except when physically separated and
labelled.
Storage areas and transport containers for organic product
should be cleaned using methods and materials allowed in
organic production. Measures should be taken to prevent
possible contamination from any pesticide or other treatment
Ingredients of agricultural origin
In cases where an ingredient of agricultural origin is not
available in sufficient quantity or quality from organic origin,
non-organic raw materials can be used to a limited extent.
These raw materials shall not be genetically engineered.
The same ingredient in one product shall not be derived from
both an organic and non-organic origin.
Processing aides and other Ingredients
Additives and processing aids shall only be used under the following conditions:
•
If the purpose is to maintain the nutritional value of a product;
•
If the purpose is to enhance the keeping quality or stability of the product;
•
If the purpose is to provide the product with an acceptable composition,
consistency, and appearance;
•
There is no possibility of producing a similar product without the use of the
additive or processing aid;
•
It is not included in amounts greater than the minimum required to
achieve its function;
•
It does not in any major way detrimentally affects the environment;
•
It shall not deceive the consumer, concerning the nature, substance, and quality
of the food.
Methods of processing
Techniques used to process organic products shall be biological, physical,
and mechanical in nature.
Filtration equipment shall utilize techniques or substances that may
contaminate the product.
Extraction shall only take place in solvents that are in appropriate quantity
and process.
The use of ionizing radiation is not allowed for any ingredient or the final
product.
Substances and techniques shall not be used such that:
It reconstitute properties lost by the processing and storage of
organic products;
• conceal negligent processing;
• or may otherwise be misleading as to the true nature of
these products.
Methods of cleaning
Operators shall take all necessary precautions to protect
organic food against contamination by substances prohibited in
organic agriculture and handling pest, disease-causing
organisms and foreign substances.
Operations that use cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants on
food contact surfaces shall use them in a way that maintains
the organic integrity of the food. The operator should perform
an intervening event between the use of any cleaners,
sanitizers or disinfectant and the contact of the organic food in
that surface.
Packaging
Organic products must be not packed in reused bags or
containers that have been in direct contact with substances
that would likely compromise the organic integrity of the
product
reusable bags or containers should be thoroughly cleaned before
re-use.
Special Products
• Scope: Mushrooms, Wild honey, Herbs
• Concerns:
- pollution and contamination
- over-harvesting and sustainability
Thank you.