Question & AnswerQ&A (DA Department Circular No. 05, s. 2015)
The main objectives are to provide guidelines in the registration of organic fertilizer producers in the Philippines and ensure that organic fertilizer products marketed comply with the relevant Philippine National Standards (PNS).
Organic Fertilizer is any product in solid or liquid form, of plant or animal origin that has undergone substantial decomposition and supplies available nutrients to plants with total Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) as specified in the PNS. It may be enriched by microbial inoculants and naturally occurring minerals but excludes any chemical or inorganic fertilizer materials.
Provisional Registration is granted if there is only one cropping season of efficacy test with significant results, valid for one year. Full Registration is granted after compliance with all requirements including two seasons of efficacy tests with significant results, valid for three years.
Grounds include revocation of organic certification by accredited OCB, non-compliance with PNS, misbranding, misrepresentation of material facts, non-submission of renewed license or organic certificate two months after expiration.
Registrants must pay the prescribed fees indicated in Annex C of the Circular at the DA Cashier and present the Official Receipt to the DA-BAFS designated staff.
Certification is done by officially accredited Organic Certifying Bodies (OCB) recognized by DA-BAFS, which provide written attestation based on inspections, auditing, and product examination.
The label must contain the name, logo or seal of the OCB, the organic mark provided by the accredited OCB, the OCB's accreditation number given by DA-BAFS, and the registration number issued by DA-BAFS.
TPA is an agreement between two companies, the registrant and the recipient party, allowing the recipient to distribute the registrant's product, subject to conditions like validity period, rebranding rules, and non-transferability of the TPA.
Steps include applying for an Experimental Use Permit (EUP) for the first cropping season with required documents and fees, evaluation and approval of efficacy trial protocols, issuance of Notice to Proceed (NTP), submission of terminal reports, and issuance of Certificate of Registration under Provisional or Full Registration status.
Penalties include revocation of the issued Certificate of Registration, delisting, and/or blacklisting of the company name from DA-BAFS official list of registered organic input producers.