SUMMARY OF BASIC PGS ORGANIC STANDARDS

1. Organic production areas must be well isolated from pollution sources such as factories, industrial production zones, areas under construction, main roads, etc.

2. Organic farms must be clearly separated from adjacent non-organic farms. To prevent chemicals from being used from neighboring farms, an effective buffer zone should be built by planting native plants. If contamination occurs through water, an earth bank or drainage ditch should be provided to prevent contamination by overflowing contaminated water.

3. PGS organic farmers perceive soil as a living environment. As a result, farmers focus on nourishing the soil ecosystem rather than on cultivating crops. Therefore, organic farmers will not use chemical fertilizers and synthetic growth stimulants in organic production; do not use chemical pesticides, to deal with the problems of insects, fungi or disease.

4. The water used in organic farming is not polluted (as specified in the standards for safe vegetable production of TCVN 5942-1995). Farmers must take measures to isolate and protect water sources from pollutants from higher farms, adjacent farms, etc. For shared water sources, farmers must make every effort to minimize the source of pollution with a filtration system before putting it into production.

5. Organic farmers must manage plant nutrition and soil pH by methods of crop rotation, cover cropping, mulching, etc. Organic fertilizers are only used after hot composting. Encourage farmers to take advantage of locally available sources of animal manure, plant residues and trees. Mineral fertilizers, microbiological fertilizers and preparations used must be on the list of products permitted for use in organic agriculture.

6. Burning of plant residues is prohibited except in traditional shifting cultivation methods and where proven necessary for disease control.

7. Prohibit the use of human excrement, municipal waste and medical waste.

8. Farmers must select and apply tillage methods that help maintain or improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil to minimize soil erosion and salinization.

9. To manage insects that cause farming problems, farmers use natural insecticides, trap insects and create ecological balance by intercropping and rotation methods soup.

10. Do not use chemicals to kill weeds. Encourage the implementation of soil compaction and rotation and intercropping methods for weed management and soil improvement.

11. Increase the use of locally sourced seeds and seedlings. Encourage the exchange and sharing of indigenous seeds with organic gardens and other regions. GMOs cannot be used in organic production.

12. Using traditional methods such as compost, ash, urine, etc. to treat seeds and seedlings is the best. In the treatment of seed sources, it is not allowed to use synthetic chemicals.

13. Spraying equipment that has been used in conventional farming should not be used in organic farming.

14. Tools used in conventional farming must be cleaned before being used in organic farming.

15. Bags and containers for harvesting, storing and transporting organic produce must be new or cleaned. Do not use bags and containers of prohibited substances in organic farming. Ensure products are always kept organic in storage and transportation.

16. Materials, tools, and machinery that are prohibited in organic farming are not allowed to be stored in the organic product store.

17. The transition period starts after 6 months for short-term plants and one year for long-term plants from the date of stopping the use of chemicals. After 2 years of discontinuing chemicals the farm is eligible to be certified organic.

18. Farmers maintain a log book of farm-related activities.