Regulation on the principles of organic farming and their implementation.

The purpose of this Regulation is to provide for rules and principles for protecting ecological balance, implementing organic farming activities, regulating, developing and extending organic production and marketing of organic products. Individuals and companies who wish to be involved in organic farming should apply to a controlling and certification agency. Procedural details are given in the Regulation. A transition period is granted to those involved in the production of organic crop farming (two years for annual crops, pasture products and forage crops, and three years for perennial crops). The Regulation determines number of animals per unit area during pastoral farming to provide adequate animal manure for vegetative production. In addition, animals not raised in accordance with this Regulation shall not be in the same pasture with the animals raised in accordance with this Regulation. Soil preservation, preparation and fertilizer rules for organic crop farming, as well as planting, irrigation, and harvesting rules are specified in the Regulation. For organic animal husbandry, natural insemination is essential, and embryo transfer is prohibited. Artificial insemination by using sperms obtained and stored through natural means is allowed. Transition period for organic animal farming is 12 months for cattle and 6 months for sheep, goats and pigs. This period is 10 weeks for meat poultry and 6 weeks for dairy poultry. Technical details for organic animal farming, including organic apiculture and fishery products are provided in the Regulation. Processing, packaging, labelling, storing, transporting, and marketing of organic products have special rules described in the Regulation. A National Steering Committee on Organic Farming, chaired by the Director General of Agricultural Production and Development, observes and recommends measures for implementation and development of organic farming.