The Soil Association (SA) has said it will discontinue setting standards for organic salmon following a review which concluded that environmental and welfare outcomes weren’t meeting its ‘high bar’.
The charity, which has been developing and setting standards for organic salmon farming for over two decades, has been reviewing its involvement for the last two years.
The review found that although SA standards have led to positive change across the whole salmon farming industry, there was a lack of evidence that the standards were delivering adequate animal welfare and environmental outcomes, or that this could change fast enough.
“The mission behind the Soil Association and its standards is to develop and support farming systems that care for the natural world and farmed animals,” explains SA chief executive Helen Browning.
“When we started working on salmon 20 years ago, we had an aspiration for an aquaculture system that could deliver the principles of organic production in the sea. We envisioned a multi-trophic, enriched environment which could provide the resources for a good life for salmon, with minimal negative impact on other species.
“When consumers see our logo on pack, they should be confident that organic principles are being safeguarded to the highest level possible within the constraints of a commercially viable system.”
“However, progress along these lines has been negligible. While our standards ensure lower stocking rates and prohibit the most damaging chemical treatments, the evidence suggests that welfare and environmental outcomes are not sufficient for us to continue.
“Furthermore, new welfare challenges like jellyfish blooms are emerging due to warming seas. The salmon industry is dynamic and profitable and may well be able to innovate to deal with these emerging challenges. But we were not confident that the issues were likely to be resolved within a suitable timeframe through our standards. There is a bigger research and development piece needed here which, as a charity, it is not our role to lead.
What’s next?
“While no farming system is perfect, the Soil Association standards set a high bar. When consumers see our logo on pack, they should be confident that organic principles are being safeguarded to the highest level possible within the constraints of a commercially viable system. This means being prepared to ask difficult questions and this is a case where we must act on the evidence when we believe we can no longer provide that assurance.”
The charity says it will now work with the industry to agree a timeline for withdrawal of its logo. Further updates will follow over the coming weeks and months.
Browning adds: “We recognize the commitment, expertise and significant efforts made by producers, processors and others across the sector to meet our standards and seek progress. We hope that work will continue and are grateful to the sector for collaborating with us constructively through this review.”
More information on the review, its findings and the process followed is available at www.soilassociation.org/salmonreview
By Jane Wolfe, contributor