Why we are reviewing organic salmon - and what happens next

You may have seen coverage today in the Sunday Times or heard my interview on Times Radio (listen here at 01:23:50) about Soil Association’s ongoing review of organic salmon certification in Scotland.

At the Soil Association, our role has always been to set high standards and to drive improvement across food and farming. Organic certification is not a static label, it is a commitment to continual progress, grounded in animal welfare, environmental protection and public trust.

Why we are reviewing salmon now

As a logo which represents the very best animal welfare standards in commercial farming, our decision to certify organic salmon comes from a place of wanting to raise the bar for the entire salmon sector, organic or not. The organic sector can demonstrate best practice and stimulate improvements for the wider industry. Our standards already require lower stocking densities, tighter controls on medicines, and a strong focus on environmental protection and fish welfare.

However, the context in which salmon farming operates is changing rapidly.

Environmental pressures such as rising sea temperatures and associated disease challenges are increasing. At the same time, demand for salmon continues to grow, adding further pressure on the system. Whilst the sector has so far demonstrated capacity and willingness to grapple with these challenges and to meet the demands expected of organic standards, we need to be confident this will be done within a reasonable timeframe and that industry and government will respond at pace to current and future challenges to salmon welfare and environmental impacts.

Soil Association must be sure that our standards continue to lead the changes needed which is why we have launched a formal review.

We must be confident that organic certification can deliver a genuinely good life for farmed salmon, and that consumers can continue to trust what the organic symbol stands for.

The key question: can we drive further improvement?

Are we best placed to continue improving the sector from within, or is it no longer possible to achieve the standards we believe are necessary?

We have set out a series of clear tests for the organic sector. These include tackling unacceptable mortality rates, reducing and rapidly eliminating the most harmful treatments, ensuring genuinely high welfare, improving the sustainability of feed, and protecting sensitive marine environments. You can read the detail of those tests here.

We believe it is technically possible for the sector to meet these expectations but only if there is commitment, investment and urgency from across the industry.

Why staying engaged matters

It is important to be clear about one thing: if the Soil Association steps away, organic salmon will not disappear.

Other certification bodies would take on this role, applying the baseline standards set in UK and EU organic regulations. These baseline standards are lower than our own. In practice, that could mean that overall standards in the sector fall rather than rise.

So the choice we face is not simple.

If we remain involved, we have the opportunity and responsibility to push for higher standards and faster progress. If we withdraw, we risk leaving the sector to operate to a lower bar, with less independent challenge.

That is why we are carefully exploring whether we can continue to act as a force for improvement.

Listening to all perspectives

We recognise that this is a deeply contested issue. There are strongly held views from environmental organisations, animal welfare experts, industry, and consumers. We welcome that scrutiny.

As part of our review, we are bringing together critics, scientists, welfare experts and industry representatives to test the evidence and hear the full range of perspectives. This includes a formal “witness session” in the coming weeks.

Constructive challenge has always been essential to strengthening organic standards. Our consultation has been open because we believe transparency leads to better decisions.

What happens next

Our trustees will consider all the evidence and input gathered through this process before making a final decision in October. Between now and then, we will continue to engage openly and honestly about the challenges and the opportunities facing organic salmon.

How you can get involved

We encourage anyone with an interest in this issue to read more about our standards and the review. There is misinformation being circulated about the current standards not being met, and we can reassure all consumers of organic salmon that we investigate and act on each and every complaint.

This is not an easy decision, and there are no simple answers. But our commitment is clear: to ensure that organic standards continue to stand for the highest possible outcomes of farmed animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and integrity.

We will take whatever decision best delivers those outcomes.