Organic fish producers, who airfreight fish will not lose their organic status as long as they can show their activities benefit their local community and do not harm the environment, the U.K. Soil Association said.

It follows the announcement of the outcome of a four-month review of the organic certifier’s standards, amid public concerns that the airfreighting in of foodstuffs from overseas is adding to the amount of carbon in the earth’s atmosphere. The review concluded that organic goods should only be air freighted to the United Kingdom, if they deliver genuine benefits for local farmers’ and communities in developing countries.   

Fair trade   

It also means airfreighted products must conform to fair trade practices such as paying a fair price to producers and are produced without exploiting workers. Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett told IntraFish the outcome of the review would “act as a signal to everyone involved” that reliance on airfreight both for importers and exporters is unsustainable in the    long-term. Though much of the review focused on the import of organic foodstuffs, Melchett moved to ease fears that those exporting from the United Kingdom will be automatically penalized. “Benefits to the community applies as much to the western world as it does to developing countries,” he said. That will be music to the ears of organic salmon producers such as Angus Macmillan, managing director at West Minch Salmon in the remote Scottish    Western Isles. The company currently doesn’t airfreight its fish, but has been investigating the prospect of exports to the United States.

For those looking to fly product to the United States and elsewhere overseas, West Minch Salmon Managing Director Angus Macmillan said the loss of organic status, “Would have a huge impact.” Macmillan said if organic status were taken away companies like his may be forced to search for an alternative organic certifier. But after after the review companies it seems it won’t come to that if companies such as West Minch can show the benefits of job creation in remote areas, that they are doing their bit for the environment and helping to educate the local population of the significance of such issues.

Opponents to a change in standards argue the most important factor is not how organic products are transported, but that they are produced free of chemicals.

The impact on developing countries is an important area for opponents of change to organic certification rules. Before the outcome of the review it was feared any change in standards would seriously hinder economic progress in developing countries, lead to widespread job losses and the imposition whether deliberate or not of so called ‘green protectionism.’

Wealthier nations’ government are under pressure at World Trade Organization (WTO) talks to help developing countries grow their economies through increased free trade arrangements, so any attempt to block or ban the movement of goods from those would give them a big headache.

U.K. sales of organic food breached the £2 billion (*2.9 billion/$4 billion) mark for the first time last year, showing growth of 22 percent, according to the Soil Association.