The High Court is hearing a challenge to the Minister for Agriculture's plan to have the inspection of organic farming carried out by a single body, under the control of the Department of Agriculture. Organic Trust Ltd, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin, representing 300 organic producers, has taken judicial review proceedings against the Minister, Ireland and the Attorney General.
The company claims it has been inspecting and certifying to a higher standard than the minimum standard set under EU regulations. It is resisting the Department's proposal to withdraw its approval as a private inspection body of organic produce.
The action arose after the EU introduced regulations in 1999 - regulation 1804/1999 - governing organic production of agricultural products and foodstuffs, to include livestock production.
Organic Trust claims the regulation sets out baseline production standards for organic produce and there is nothing to prevent EU member-states setting higher standards. It says most member-states operate at a higher level than the minimum EU level.
It claims the new regulation does not provide for or require a complete review of organic inspection and certification arrangements here. It also does not require that inspection and certification be carried out by a single body.
In August 2000, the Department told Organic Trust it was reviewing arrangements for regulating the sector. It said the standards to apply here were those set out in the 1999 regulations and inspection of organic farming would be carried out by a single body under the Department's direction.
The hearing continues today.
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