Amending Republic Act No. 10068 or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010

Case Overview and Summary

Declaration of Policy and Definition of Terms

- Declares the policy of the State to promote and implement organic agriculture practices to enrich soil fertility, increase farm productivity and income, reduce pollution, protect health, and promote food self-sufficiency. (Section 1)
- Defines key terms such as "organic production system", "certification", "accreditation", "inspection", "organic bio-control agents", "Organic Certifying Body (OCB)", "organic soil amendments", "Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)", "PGS group", "core PGS group", "participatory organic certificate", "small farmer/fisherfolk", and "organic value chain". (Section 2)

Coverage and Composition of the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB)

- Covers the promotion and establishment of facilities for organic fertilizers, bio-control agents, soil amendments, and farm inputs, as well as the implementation of organic agriculture programs and projects focused on small farmers/fisherfolk. (Section 3)
- Outlines the composition of the NOAB, including representatives from government agencies, small farmers, NGOs, agricultural colleges/universities, the private sector, national association of PGS groups, and indigenous organic farmers. (Section 4)

Organization and Functions of the NOAB and Related Agencies

- Establishes the National Organic Agriculture Program-National Program Coordinating Office (NOAP-NPCO) under the Department of Agriculture to manage the implementation of the National Organic Agriculture Program. (Section 5)
- Mandates the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) to formulate organic agriculture standards, issue accreditation to OCBs, conduct inspections, issue registration of organic inputs and farms, and rule on appeals related to inspection and certification. (Section 7)

Accreditation of OCBs and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)

- Authorizes the BAFS to grant accreditation to OCBs, with at least one accredited OCB in each of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. (Section 8)
- Establishes the PGS as the mechanism for certifying small farmers/fisherfolk and their farms/associations/cooperatives as engaged in organic agriculture. (Section 9)
- Outlines the principles, legal personality, certification process, accreditation process, organizational levels (core PGS group, municipal/city PGS group, provincial and national PGS group), promotion, training, inspection, and incentives related to the PGS. (Section 9)

Registration and Labeling of Organic Produce and Inputs

- Assigns responsibilities for the registration of organic producers, produce, inputs, and processed food to various agencies (BAFS, BPI, BAI, BFAR, and FDA). (Section 12)
- Requires the label of organic produce to contain the name, logo/seal, and accreditation number of the OCB, as well as the trade name and address of origin. (Section 13)

Market Development, Trade Promotion, and Appropriations

- Mandates the development and implementation of market development and trade promotion programs for organic agriculture. (Section 15)
- Appropriates One billion pesos (P1,000,000,000.00) annually for the promotion and development of the National Organic Agriculture Program, with specific allocations for shared facilities, seeds/planting materials, extension and training, socialized credit, irrigation, research and development, and marketing and promotion. (Section 17)

Penal Provisions and Implementing Rules and Regulations

- Imposes penalties for willful mislabeling or false claims of organic products, including imprisonment of not less than one (1) month nor more than six (6) months, or a fine of not more than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00), or both. (Section 18)
- Mandates the NOAB to adopt implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of the Act. (Section 19)