UK Energy Saving Comments on the Outcome of the Soil Association Air Freight Consultation

The Soil Association have today, 27th October 2007, announced the outcome¹ of their consultation into whether air freighted organic produce should continue to be classified as organic. The four month consultation has resulted in the Soil Association declaring their intention to insist that organic producers which use air freight must adhere to either their own Ethical Trading or the Fairtrade Foundation standards. In addition, producers will be expected to make plans to reduce their dependence on air freight.

UK Energy Saving took part in the consultation and commented² that, in their opinion, labelling of all food would provide consumers with choice about whether to buy air freighted produce. UK Energy Saving felt that an outright ban on the air freighting of organic produce would be a negative change to the Soil Association’s standards, and are therefore pleased that the UK’s largest organic certification body have decided not to go down this route. Hayley Jones, Web Marketing Director for UK Energy Saving, has some further comments, however, on the outcome of the consultation.

“UK Energy Saving is a supporter of both organic and Fairtrade certifications, but we remain unsure about whether the Soil Association’s proposals are the right answer to the question of air freight. It seems inconsistent to suggest that producers using air freight must meet Ethical Trading or Fairtrade standards, whilst other organic farmers can continue as before without meeting these extra requirements. We do, however, support the Soil Association’s decision to look into labelling options, and await with interest the further consultation period in 2008.”

¹ Visit the Soil Association website for further information - http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/848d689047cb466780256a6b00298980/3a1c3d1cc0d10bff8025737f002d919b!OpenDocument

² For further details of UK Energy Saving’s comments view their previous press release ‘UK Energy Saving Comments on Air Freighted Organic Food’ at http://www.uk-energy-saving.com/organic-air-freight-0707.doc