Certifications
LEAF
The purpose of the LEAF Marque label83 is to ensure consumers that care has been taken by farmers in the production of foods and other products. This standard attests that the product was produced in an environmentally responsible manner. In order to be entitled to use the LEAF Marque label, the farm must be fully compliant with the conformity 84 criteria defined in this standard. The currently authorised certification bodies and the countries in which they have authority are listed on the www.leafmarque.com website. This standard is mainly used by the British supermarket chain Waitrose. The evaluation points of the standard are as follows:
Organisation and planning
Management of soils and crop nutrition
Crop protection
Fight against pollution and waste management
Efficient use of energy and water resources
Wildlife and landscapes
Livestock raising and environment
Involvement with local communities.
This B-to-C private standard is based on the principle of Integrated Farm Management (IFM). This principle consists of combining traditional and modern techniques in order to increase productivity and minimise the impact on the environment. Producers who apply the principles of the LEAF standard can generally reduce their costs thanks to better soil management, minimal use of pesticides, and reduced tillage. Moreover, such practices often result in lowered CO2 emissions and increased animal species diversity.
