The Soil Association organic symbol is the UK's largest and most recognisable trademark for organic produce.
Wherever you see it you can be sure that the food you have purchased has been produced and processed to strict animal welfare and environmental standards. The Soil Association has probably the highest and most comprehensive standards for organic production and processing in the world.
Our standards not only meet the UK government's minimum requirements but in many areas are higher. This is particularly true with animal welfare (for example, pigs and poultry) and the use of pesticides.
We can do this because we are an independent charity and are not motivated by profit - our goal is to promote the highest levels of organic integrity.
We have also developed standards for areas not covered by government or EU regulations. These include conservation, fish farming, textiles and health and beauty products.
What do they cover?
Practically anything that's grown or farmed to be eaten or drunk. Our standards also cover the processing of food, from milling flour to baking bread and making pizzas.
They specify in detail what can and can't be done, and what can and can't be used. For example, a chicken farmer will know how many birds can be kept together, what they can be fed, how they can be treated if ill and so on.
But our standards apply to more than food. We also have standards for:
- Shops and other retailers
- Restaurants, bars and cafés
- Health and beauty products
- Clothing and textiles
- Gardening products like composts
- Timber and wood products
What makes them special?
We believe it is vital that organic standards are kept high and enforced effectively. We aim to set the 'gold standard' for the organic industry and have led the way in developing high organic standards.
We want to ensure that Soil Association standards meet consumer expectations, reflect the best sustainable practice and become a benchmark for organic production globally.
Certification and inspection, carried out by our wholly owned subsidiary Soil Association Certification Ltd, ensures that these standards are adhered to.
Our organic symbol is used to show that these standards have been met.
How our standards are set
We constantly review our standards to keep them up to date and to deal with new issues. To do this we have set up a number of independent standards committees. These committees are made up of our members and licensees, researchers, advisors and other experts in their field.
The committees consider proposals and amendments to the standards and advise us on other relevant policy issues. Their recommendations are circulated to all members and licensees for consultation, with the final decision being taken by our elected council. This rigorous and open process ensures standards remain high, yet attainable.
The Soil Association also works actively at national, European and international levels with the aim of achieving consistently high organic standards across all bodies and authorities. For example we were a founder member of, and continue to play a leading role within, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).
Find out more about the
standards committees and standards changes currently being proposed in our technical food and farming web pages.
Find out more
