Seeds for organic operators and conditions for using conventional/non-organic seeds

(information / reminder regarding the use of seeds and vegetative planting material)

关于有机操作者的种子及使用常规/非有机种子的条件

（有关使用种子和植物繁殖材料的信息/提醒）

Dear Sirs and Ladies,

in the past, application for derogation to use conventional seeds were submitted (very) late. Thus, we ask all clients to carefully read and take into consideration the below mentioned conditions for this application.
In the following conventional is synonymously used for non-organic.

亲爱的先生和女士们
在过去，对于豁免使用常规种子的申请提交的（非常）太迟。 因此，我们要求所有客户仔细阅读并考虑以下条件的申请。
在下文中，常规也是非有机的同义词。

Background

EU, NOP and JAS require the use of organic seeds and vegetative planting material for growing organic products.
In case organic seeds or vegetative planting material are not available, the operator needs to show that effort was made to obtain organic qualities.
We are aware that there is - if at all - only a very small organic seed market in China. However, there are different options to obtain organic seeds, including self-retaining and purchase from other organic operators, even if they may not be traded as “seeds” then.
The latter seems not to be done very often, but we would like to encourage organic operators to take this into consideration. Especially, when local varieties and not intensively bread or Hybrid varieties are used this could be a solution.

When using own seeds potentially seed born diseases can be an obstacle. However, there are organic methods of seed treatment as well.

In case all efforts did not result in the possibility to obtain organic seed, under EU a request for derogation to use conventional (untreated and non-GMO) seeds is mandatory.

Please note that proven effort to obtain organic seeds does not mean to provide letters from seed-traders who anyway only handle conventional seeds!

When purchasing conventional seeds, a confirmation of the seed trader is needed. This confirmation should list all seeds (crop and variety) and information that the seeds were not chemically treated and are non-GMO. Name of the trader and date of the issuance should be readable.
Such confirmation is requested for all standards, not only for EU.

The application to use conventional (untreated and non-GMO) seeds needs to be supplied before the seeds are used and the application needs to show the following information
(a template is available and can be requested from the local office):
- Crop and variety (including the information of quality “seed-fast/non-Hybrid” or “Hybrid”)
- Planned area and necessary quantity of seeds
- Planned date of sowing

> Please take into consideration, that the approval may take some time and thus the application
should be sent as early as possible!
> Please be aware, that in repeated cases of not applying for derogation, the crop must be
downgraded to conventional, even if no organic seed is available!
> This application is only requested for EU certified clients, the effort to obtain organic seeds is expected from all clients – also if NOP and/or JAS certified.
> Annual seedlings as e.g., vegetable seedlings always must be organic.

Finally, we would like to remind you, that this requirement regarding seed and planting material refers to all crops which are grown on the organic land, not only for those applied for certification (e.g., new tea garden with intercropped vegetables; even though the vegetables are not requested for certification).
For more details you may refer to the Brief info crop BI 3.2.1 Section 5 and the Ceres Policy Organic Seeds 4.1.17.

Thank you for consideration and best regards.

CERES GmbH

背景

• EU、NOP 和 JAS 要求使用有机种子和植物繁殖材料来种植有机产品。
如果没有有机种子或植物繁殖材料，操作者需要证明为获得有机材料而付出的努力。
我们意识到，中国的有机种子市场即使有，也是非常小的。然而，获得有机种子有不同的选择，包括自己保留和从其他的有机操作者处购买，即使它们可能不会作为“种子”进行交易。后者似乎并不经常发生，但我们希望鼓励有机操作者考虑到这一点。特别是，当使用非集中培育的当地品种或杂交品种时，这可能是一个解决方案。
当使用自己的种子时，潜在的种传病害可能是一个障碍。然而，也有有机的种子处理方法。

如果做出所有努力都不能获得有机种子，根据EU的要求，申请豁免使用常规(未经处理和非转基因的)种子是强制性的。

请注意，证明为获得有机种子而做出的努力并不意味着提供那些只处理常规种子的贸易商的信函！
当购买常规种子时，需要得到种子贸易商的证明。该证明应列出所有的种子(作物和品种)，以及种子未经过化学处理和非转基因的信息。贸易商名称和签发日期也应被体现。不仅仅是EU，所有有机标准都要求提供这种证明。
使用常规(未经处理和非转基因的)种子的申请需要在使用种子之前提供，申请需要显示以下信息(可向当地认证机构索取可用的模板):
- 作物和品种(包括品性“速生类种子/非杂交”或“杂交”信息)
- 计划面积和所需种子数量
- 计划播种日期
> 考虑到审批可能需要一段时间，所以请尽早发送申请!
> 请注意，即使没有有机种子可用，在多次不申请豁免的情况下，作物也必须被降级为常规!
> 此申请仅适用于EU认证的客户，如果是NOP和/或JAS认证，所有客户都要求努力获得有机种子。
> 一年生种苗，如蔬菜种苗必须是有机的。
最后，我们想提醒您，这一关于种子和繁殖材料的要求涉及到所有种植在有机土地上的作物，而不仅仅是那些申请认证的作物(例如，带有间作蔬菜的新茶园; 即使这些蔬菜不需要被认证)。
想要了解更多细节，请参考简介crop BI 3.2.1第5节和CERES政策Organic Seeds 4.1.17。

感谢您的考虑和最诚挚的问候。

CERES GmbH