Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 10068)
The official title is the "Organic Agriculture Act of 2010."
The policy objective is to promote, propagate, develop, and implement the practice of organic agriculture in the Philippines to enrich soil fertility, increase farm productivity, reduce pollution, prevent depletion of natural resources, protect health, and save on imported farm inputs.
Organic agriculture includes all agricultural systems that promote ecologically sound, socially acceptable, economically viable and technically feasible food and fiber production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and GMOs and includes aspects like soil fertility management and varietal breeding under pesticide-free conditions.
The conversion period is the timeframe between the start of organic management and the official certification of crops, animal husbandry, or aquaculture products as organic, which depends on factors like land history and type of production.
The NOAB formulates policies and programs for organic agriculture, oversees the National Organic Agricultural Program, identifies financing sources, monitors program performance, promotes international recognition of certifications, and promulgates implementing rules and regulations.
The NOAB is composed of secretaries (or authorized representatives) from several government departments including Agriculture, Interior and Local Government, Science and Technology, Environment and Natural Resources, Education, Agrarian Reform, Trade and Industry, Health, three representatives from small farmers, and representatives from NGOs, agricultural colleges, and private sector agribusiness.
Any person who mislabels or falsely claims a product as organic may be punished by imprisonment of 1 to 6 months, a fine not exceeding Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00), or both. If the offender is a government employee, dismissal from office applies.
The label must contain the name, logo or seal of the certifying body and the BAFPS accreditation number. Only products certified by third party certification can be labeled as organic.
Incentives include exemption from duties on importation of agricultural machinery, preferential credit access, subsidies for certification fees, zero-rated VAT on organic product sales, income tax holiday and exemption for seven years, among others, primarily for micro, small, and medium enterprises.
The Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS) is authorized to grant official accreditation to organic certifying bodies.