Take the best from organic and conventional farming

Good husbandry and sound science should be the cornerstones of livestock farming, says NOAH. And these are equally applicable to organic and conventional farming.

In a letter to UKROFS, the government organic standards body, NOAH proposes that the two organisations can work more closely together to progress these aims. Welcoming the publication of the Agriculture Committee Report on Organic Farming, NOAH says that government research into organic farming, as suggested by the Report, should be based on science – as is the authorisation system for animal medicines in UK and across Europe.

Sometimes animal health and welfare can only be maintained by preventive medicine, or by treatment. This is a clear case where organic farming can and should benefit from techniques equally applicable to this system and conventional agriculture.

Of course animal medicines must be used responsibly – again this is equally applicable to conventional farming – as consumers need to have confidence in food from livestock. Cross industry initiatives such as RUMA (Responsible Use of Animal Medicines) and LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) underscore this belief.

But different organic codes on animal medicine use confuse farmers and consumers, while their underlying basis for calculations of different withdrawal periods, and the push to use products that have not gone through stringent approval systems, are scientifically unsound.

The Agriculture Report aims to put organic farming on a more scientific basis – and NOAH supports this aim.

22 February 2001

Notes for Editors

For further information contact Roger Cook or Alison Glennon at NOAH, tel. +44 (0)20 8367 3131, or visit the NOAH website.
The National Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent the UK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animal health products. The association has 35 corporate members and 11 associate members. NOAH's members account for around 95% of the £368 million UK animal health market, with additional valuable exports.