It would seem the Soil Association are rapidly losing credibility
after their recent exposure that they support organic aquaculture
standards
http://tinyurl.com/y3pfh3

It would seem they also think it's OK to spray our spuds with copper!

http://tinyurl.com/y6l9sv
Blight spray clouds organic claims

By Martin Cassidy
BBC Northern Ireland's rural affairs correspondent


Questions have emerged about the marketing and labelling of organic
food after BBC research found artificial chemicals are being used to
control potato blight.

Confirmation that copper oxychloride is being used to control the
fungal disease has come from the Soil Association.

The association promotes organic farming as being free of artificial
chemicals and has admitted that the copper-based blight sprays
represent an "achilles heel".


Consumers assume sprays are not used
Organic farmers are also now asking questions about the sprays which
the Soil Association says are used as a last resort, but which potato
growers say they rely on to produce their crops.

Tom Gilbert, who runs Ballylaggan organic farm in County Antrim,
questions whether organic potato production should even be attempted
in the British isles because of a climate which almost invariably
results in blight infection.

He said: "If you have to spray things to make them succeed, it's not
really what the organic ideal is about. I do it with a heavy heart
spraying them because I don't really approve of it."

'Under review'

Mr Gilbert, who sells directly from his farm shop, makes a point of
telling customers how the produce is grown but down on the high street
shoppers seem confused.

"I just assumed that things like that were not used on organic farms,"
said one.


The BBC's investigation has also found other evidence of disquiet
within the organic sector.

The Soil Association has confirmed that the use of the greenish blue
powder-based sprays is now limited to eight kilos per hectare -
equivalent to three applications during the growing of a potato crop.

With shoppers paying as much as £3 for a small bag of spuds, they may
now be asking what exactly does the organic label stand for


An inquiry to the association's technical department has revealed that
while copper-based blight sprays are permitted for the time being, the
chemicals are now "under review".

All this may leave consumers wondering if there is any evidence of
copper residues in potatoes that reach the shops.


The results of the BBC's research though, are reassuring from a food
safety point of view. The investigation did not highlight any health
concerns.

What is now under the microscope is the definition of organic.

The Soil Association's claim that organically grown crops do not
require artificial chemicals seems somewhat blighted and seems to run
counter to what is happening down on the farm.

With shoppers paying as much as £3 for a small bag of potatoes, they
may now be asking what exactly does the organic label stand for.


also see

http://tinyurl.com/wxlya

It certainly seems as though the standards we thought we were buying
in to, are not quite the standards they would have us believe!