Our symbol and standards
Wherever you see the Soil Association organic symbol you can be sure that food has been produced to the highest animal welfare and environmental standards.
The Soil Association’s standards exceed the UK government's minimum requirements for organic food in many areas but particularly in animal welfare, GM and the use of pesticides. We can do this because we are an independent charity and our goal is to promote the highest levels of organic integrity.
What do they cover?
Our standards cover everything from barley to beef, chocolate to coffee and state what is allowed and not allowed in the production of our food. But our standards apply to more than food - they also cover:
- Shops and other retailers
- Restaurants, bars and cafés
- Health and beauty products
- Clothing and textiles
- Gardening products like composts
- Timber and wood products
- Ethical Trade
How do we set our standards?
We constantly review our standards to ensure they deal with current issues. We do this through committees of Soil Association members and licensees, researchers, advisors and members of the public.
The committees consider proposals and amendments to the standards and advise us on other relevant policy issues. Their recommendations are circulated for open consultation. The standards board makes a final recommendation, which is then agreed by our elected council. This rigorous and open process ensures our standards remain high, yet attainable.