In 2013 and 2014, the Central “No. 1 Documents” explicitly proposed advancing rural ecological civilization construction and sustainable development, and proposed promoting ecologically friendly agricultural development, intensifying ecological protection and construction, and establishing a long-term mechanism for sustainable agricultural development. China has cumulatively issued multiple policy documents promoting the development of the organic industry, reflecting the state's high regard for ecological civilization construction and sustainable agricultural development, as well as policy support for developing the organic industry. Local governments at all levels also attach great importance to the development of the organic industry. At present, many provinces in China have integrated the development of the organic industry with the protection of the rural ecological environment, the development of the rural circular economy, the resolution of issues concerning agriculture, rural areas, and farmers through green barriers, and the building of a new socialist countryside, and have formulated organic industry development plans and a series of incentive policies, implemented subsidies for the development of organic products, and promoted the establishment of organic production systems by agricultural enterprises, rural specialized cooperatives, and farming households, greatly enhancing their enthusiasm for organic production.
1.1 Latest Developments in the Domestic Organic Industry
In active response to the requirements of “green development and building a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society” proposed in the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” for national economic development, the domestic organic industry has carried out a series of activities that have promoted the development of the organic industry. These activities mainly include: in order to give play to the advantages of certification and accreditation, in September 2014 the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the CNCA) held the “Organic Promotion Week” activity; the new edition of the Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification was officially implemented; since 2011, the “Organic Product Certification Demonstration Creation” activity has been organized and carried out; and important work such as the organization and implementation of the “Twelfth Five-Year” National Science and Technology Support Program project “Research and Demonstration of Key Technologies for Certification of Regionally Advantageous and Characteristic Organic Products” was carried out.
work.
1.1.1 The New Edition of the Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification Was Issued and Implemented
On November 15, 2013, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the AQSIQ) issued the Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification (AQSIQ Order No. 155). These “Measures” were officially implemented on April 1, 2014. Compared with the 2004 edition of the Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification, the main changes are as follows:
(1) Unify the scope of certification and establish an organic product certification catalog system. The CNCA has successively published the Catalog of Organic Product Certification and the Supplementary Catalog of Organic Product Certification. Only products listed in the catalog can obtain organic certification.
(2) Establish an organic code and certificate numbering system, and unify certification certificates and certification marks. Establish a 17-digit organic code management system of “one product, one code.” The smallest sales package of certified products must use an organic code; establish a unified certification certificate numbering system, and all certification bodies issue certificates according to the certificate numbers generated by the system. Both the organic code and the certificate number can be queried through the CNCA website, making it convenient for consumers to verify the authenticity of organic products.
(3) Abolish the organic conversion certification mark. However, organic conversion certification still exists. Before organic products obtain certification, they still must go through a conversion period of 2 to 3 years, and products in the conversion period can only be sold as conventional products.
(4) Establish a sales certificate system for organic product certification to ensure sales do not exceed the approved scope. In order to ensure that the category, scope, and quantity of organic products sold by the certification client are consistent with the product category, scope, and quantity in the certification certificate, certification bodies are required to issue sales certificates to ensure that sales do not exceed the approved scope.
(5) Standardize the supervision of imported organic products and protect the domestic market. Establish an entry verification system for imported organic products, which is conducive to protecting the lawful rights and interests of Chinese consumers and the healthy development of the domestic organic product market. In order to ensure the effective implementation of the import supervision provisions of the new Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification, the CNCA organized the formulation of the Guidelines for Entry Verification of Imported Organic Products and required all entry-exit inspection and quarantine departments to implement them by reference.
(6) Add penalty provisions, establish an exit mechanism, and eliminate unqualified enterprises. The new Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification clearly stipulate the basis for sanctions and specific
penalties for illegal acts by certification bodies and certification clients, including penalties for forging, altering, fraudulently using, illegally trading, transferring, or tampering with certification certificates. Under the new Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification, if a certification client provides false information, illegally uses prohibited substances, uses organic certification marks beyond the approved scope, or causes a major product quality and safety accident, the certification body shall not accept organic product certification applications from that enterprise and its production bases and processing sites for 5 years.
1.1.2 Carry Out Organic Promotion Week Activities
In order to implement the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China concerning accelerating the development of modern agriculture and vigorously advancing ecological civilization construction, fully demonstrate the implementation achievements of China's organic product certification system, popularize organic knowledge among the public, and promote the healthy development of the organic industry, in accordance with the overall arrangements of the national “Quality Month” activity, the CNCA organized and carried out a series of “Organic Promotion Week” activities. The main activities include:
(1) Publish a series of reports on the development of the organic industry in news media. Publish a series of interview reports and special programs on organic product certification in newspapers, television, websites, and other media, systematically displaying the achievements of the organic industry and the construction of organic certification demonstration zones.
(2) Hold the release of the China Organic Industry Development Report and the distribution of a series of books on organic product certification. Through news media and websites, release the China Organic Industry Development Report; distribute books such as the Implementation Guide for Food and Agricultural Product Certification and Questions and Answers on Organic Product Certification Knowledge in communities, supermarkets, enterprises, schools, and other places; and organize online reading and other activities.
(3) Produce and display posters and publicity windows (columns) for organic product certification. Organize the distribution and posting of organic product certification posters; produce outdoor and indoor special publicity windows (column boards) on organic products in public places and office and living areas to create a strong publicity atmosphere.
(4) Hold interactive activities for consumers to visit organic bases. Organize consumers to visit organic bases, conduct on-site visits and experience organic planting, processing, and consumption processes, distribute organic publicity materials on site, let consumers understand organic knowledge and identify organic certified products, and organize media follow-up reports and produce special programs.
(5) Hold an online interview program titled “My Organic Life.” Invite relevant experts, consumers, organic certification personnel, and organic production and sales operators to conduct interactive online interviews, explain organic knowledge and the organic
certification system, and enhance mutual trust among all parties regarding organic products.
(6) Organize public welfare activities such as “Organic Knowledge into Communities” and “Organic Knowledge into Campuses.” Organize local two-level bureaus and certification bodies to hold “Organic Knowledge into Communities” public welfare activities, publicizing the concept of organic life through distributing organic certification publicity materials, expert consultation and explanation, and organic physical prize draws; organize organic product certification experts to go to schools (kindergartens) to explain organic product certification knowledge, publicize the concept of organic life and consumption knowledge, and show organic product certification promotional videos. Broadcast organic product certification promotional videos in the media and play videos on the CNCA website and related websites.
(8) Holding a ceremony to issue letters of appointment to voluntary supervisors for organic product certification. Members of the public shall be hired as voluntary supervisors for organic product certification, and voluntary supervisors shall be organized to actively participate in supervision, inspection, and publicity activities to strengthen social supervision.
(8) Open a new media platform for organic product certification. Establish a new media platform for public information on organic products, provide a window for publicity and display for organic products and certification bodies, provide consumers with services such as querying organic product certification certificate marks, popularizing organic knowledge, and organic consumption guides, provide a platform for organic certification demonstration zones to promote local characteristic industries, enable the public to obtain credible and authoritative information about organic products, and solve the bottleneck problem of information asymmetry.
(9) Carry out concentrated rectification of the organic product certification market. Organize local certification regulatory departments, together with relevant functional departments, to carry out concentrated organic product certification supervision and law enforcement activities, expose a number of cases of illegal and irregular organic product certification, respond to and handle public opinion information in a timely manner, and purify the market environment for organic products.
1.1.3 Continue to Carry Out the 2014 National Organic Product Certification Demonstration Creation Activity
In order to fully give play to the role of certification and accreditation in “transmitting trust and serving development,” improve the linkage mechanism for organic product certification supervision, use certification and accreditation means to promote local economic development, and promote the healthy and steady development of China's organic industry, the CNCA has carried out the “Organic Product Certification Demonstration Creation” work since 2011.
The CNCA notified all recommending bureaus to continue to urge and assist all organic product certification demonstration creation zones in continuously improving the large quality work mechanism of “local governments taking overall responsibility, regulatory departments taking responsibility for their respective duties, and enterprises being the first responsible persons,” and to do a good job in organic product certification demonstration creation work. At the same time, all recommending bureaus should strengthen supervision and inspection of certification activities in organic product certification demonstration creation zones and strictly investigate and deal with illegal and irregular certification activities in organic demonstration creation
zones. For those that cannot continue to meet the application conditions, the relevant county/city governments should be urged to carry out rectification and strengthen management. If they still do not meet the application conditions after rectification, they should promptly report to the CNCA to revoke the title of “Organic Product Certification Demonstration Creation Zone.”
After selective recommendation by local quality inspection departments, the CNCA organized document review, expert consultation, and online public announcement for units applying in 2014 to carry out organic product certification demonstration creation, and agreed to national organic certification demonstration creation in nine counties and cities, including Kaihua County in Zhejiang Province, Xinfeng County in Jiangxi Province, Lingbao City in Henan Province, Fan County in Henan Province, Chibi City in Hubei Province, Liangzi Lake District in Hubei Province, Lufeng County in Guangdong Province, Tongjiang County in Sichuan Province, and Guinan County in Qinghai Province.
1.1.4 Launch of the “Twelfth Five-Year” National Science and Technology Support Program Project “Research and Demonstration of Key Technologies for Certification of Regionally Advantageous and Characteristic Organic Products”
The National Science and Technology Support Program project “Research and Demonstration of Key Technologies for Certification of Regionally Advantageous and Characteristic Organic Products” is the fourth project in the field of certification and accreditation to be included in the “Twelfth Five-Year” National Science and Technology Support Program. The project closely revolves around the overall arrangements of the Outline of the National “Twelfth Five-Year” Plan and the “Twelfth Five-Year” Plan for the Development of Certification and Accreditation, is based on the key and difficult technologies in the production and processing engineering of regionally advantageous and characteristic organic products in the development of China's organic industry, innovatively establishes quantitative or semi-quantitative evaluation technologies related to the entire organic product industry chain, and creates ecological civilization evaluation technologies with organic certification as the core. The project is divided into six topics, with an implementation period of three years, and is expected to be completed in 2016.
The project will achieve major breakthroughs in three key technologies: organic product evaluation and analysis technology, risk early warning technology, and information traceability technology; research and establish a stability comparison model for organic processed and conventional processed products; draw national distribution maps of advantageous organic production regions for products such as vegetables and tea; and build a supporting platform for evaluating substances permitted for use in China's organic products. It is expected to build 7 demonstration creation zones and 2 maturity evaluation demonstration zones, formulate 12 national/industry standards, formulate 6 technical specifications, apply for 2 patents, develop 2 information software systems, publish 4 monographs, obtain 1 software copyright, publish 18 scientific research papers, complete 15 research reports, and train 6 academic leaders, 2 innovation teams, and 200 professional and technical personnel.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly proposed vigorously advancing ecological civilization construction, as an important component of the “five-sphere integrated plan” construction, ecological civilization construction has received widespread attention from all sectors of society. Ecological civilization
construction should be integrated into all aspects and the entire process of economic construction, political construction, cultural construction, and social construction, and the indicator system related to ecological civilization is the foundation. Through research on key technologies for evaluation indicators such as resource circulation, ecological environment, ecological value, and industrial chain integrity in the development of the organic industry, this project will explore the role of organic product certification in ecological civilization and the application of the maturity of organic industry development to the evaluation of ecological civilization construction. The implementation of this project is of great significance for advancing China's ecological civilization construction and the modernization of the national governance system.
1.2 New Trends in the Development of the Domestic Organic Industry
1.2.1 China's Organic Agriculture Explores New Technologies and New Development Models for Modern Agriculture
With the rapid development of science and technology, emerging scientific and technological advances such as biotechnology, new material technology, and information technology are rapidly improving people's quality of life and lifestyle, while also exerting a great impact on the development of the agricultural industry. The development of organic agriculture is supported by these new types of biological fertilizers, pesticides, and equipment, reserving and practicing new technologies for the development of modern agriculture. With economic development, while people pay attention to the production function of agriculture, they pay even more attention to the ecological and social functions of agriculture. Organic agriculture is a new type of ecological agricultural industrialization development model or system established through improvement on the basis of traditional agriculture and conventional agriculture, taking into account ecological, environmental, economic, and social benefits, and integrating production, operation, circulation, and consumption through organic product marks. Therefore, it can play a leading role in the ecologicalization and environmental protection of conventional modern agriculture.
1.2.2 The Development Regions of China's Organic Industry Are Continuously Expanding
At present, the vast majority of China's organic product production bases are distributed in the eastern coastal areas and the provinces and regions of the northeast. In the past two or three years, the western region, taking advantage of the Western Development strategy, has developed organic animal husbandry and has also shown good momentum. In terms of quantity and area, the three northeastern provinces are the largest; in terms of product processing degree and quality control, eastern provinces such as Shanghai, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Jiangsu, as well as Beijing, have relatively greater advantages. This is related to local consumption levels, market demand, and enterprises' advanced and pioneering awareness, as well as local government support policies. The development of the organic agriculture industry is also related to production environmental conditions. Organic agriculture in western regions such as Yunnan, Guizhou, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Gansu is expected to achieve rapid development by relying on environmental and resource advantages, as well as preferential industrial support policies gradually introduced by local governments. Among them, naturally collected products, characteristic regional products, and land-intensive products have relatively obvious advantages compared with eastern provinces. The rise of Guizhou's organic industry in recent years is a very good representative of this development trend. Eastern provinces, meanwhile, will continue to give play to product chain and market advantages and maintain their advantages in organic processed products and in expanding international and domestic markets.
1.2.3 The Market Scale of China's Organic Products Will Continue to Expand
Before 2000, China's organic products were mainly produced according to the needs of the international market, and organic products were basically all exported abroad. According to statistics from the CNCA, by 2004 the total production value of China's organic product industry was 2.22 billion yuan, of which the total export value was 1.24 billion yuan. Domestic export products mainly included soybeans, tea, vegetables, and miscellaneous grains, and the main export destinations were the United States, the European Union, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries. The remaining nearly 1 billion yuan of certified organic products entered the domestic market, involving varieties such as vegetables, tea, rice, miscellaneous grains, fruits, honey, Chinese medicinal materials, aquatic products, and livestock and poultry products. By 2013, China's export value of organic products had increased to about 500 million US dollars, while the domestic market sales of organic products had grown to about 20 billion to 30 billion yuan. In view of the continuously growing demand for organic products in both domestic and international markets, together with the continuous strengthening of state supervision and support for the organic industry, it can be predicted that China's domestic and international market sales of organic products will continue to increase year by year for a considerable period in the future.
1.2.4 The Supervision of China's Organic Industry Is Continuously Strengthened
The organic industry supervision system includes a standards system and a management system. The national standards for organic products are the general program for regulating and restricting the production, processing, operation, and certification of organic products, and are the fundamental criterion for developing the organic industry. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued and implemented China's national organic standard GB/T 19630—2005 Organic Products in 2005, and revised the standard in 2011. Based on laws and regulations such as the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Certification and Accreditation, the national standard Organic Products, the Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification, and the Implementation Rules for Organic Product Certification, the CNCA has integrated and optimized the current management system for the production, processing, operation, consulting, and certification of organic products, providing unified requirements and methods for the certification of China's organic products and strengthening routine supervision and comprehensive quality control of the organic industry, thereby providing a strong legal guarantee for ensuring the effectiveness of China's organic product certification and healthy and orderly development. Domestic consumers' trust in organic products has continued to increase, and the international reputation of China's organic products has also continued to improve.
1.3 Current Status of the Development of the International Organic
国际有机农业运动联盟（IFOAM)与瑞士有机农业研究所（FiBL)2015年初公布的统计数字表明，全球目前有170多个国家从事有机食品和饮料的生产，认证的土地面积达4310万公顷（图1-1),是1999年的4倍。有机农场面积排在前10位的国家有澳大利亚、阿根廷、美国、中国、西班牙、意大利、法国、德国、乌拉圭和加拿大。有些国家如瑞典、奥地利、瑞士、芬兰和意大利的有机土地面积超过10%的耕地面积。目前，有机食品贸易的主要市场在欧洲（欧盟国家以及瑞士）、美国和日本。图1-2中列出目前全球有机农业生产面积及区域分布。
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2013年全球有机食品与饮料的销售额达到了720亿美元，这已经是1999年的5倍。2013年最大的有机消费国排在前三位的是美国、德国、法国。其中美国占全球消费市场的43%，欧盟占40%。
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1.4国际有机产业发展新动态
从21世纪开始，发达国家自身的有机农业虽然还在继续明显发展，但已经开始呈现出逐渐平稳的趋势，而有机产品，特别是有机食品的需求却仍在不断增长。在这样的形势下，发达国家对发展中国家有机产品的需求持续增加，从而加大了从发展中国家进口有机产品的力度。与此同时，一些发展比较快的发展中国家，也出现了一批对有机产品有着相当强烈需求的群体，促进了发展中国家国内有机产品市场，特别是有机食品市场的起步和发展。在这样的形势下，中国等一些发展中国家的有机农业和有机产品事业出现了快速发展的势头。
目前世界上已有80多个国家制定了有机农业标准或法规。各国政府通过立法来规范有机农业生产，使公众生态、环境和健康意识得到了增强,
扩大了对有机产品的需求规模，有机农业在研究、生产和贸易上都获得了前所未有的发展。
The rise and development of domestic organic product markets in some developing countries symbolizes the comprehensive expansion of the global organic cause and holds profound historical significance. Although, compared with the market share of developed countries, the share of domestic organic markets in developing countries within the global organic market is relatively low and has not yet exerted a significant impact on the global organic product market, the world organic cause has already entered a stage of comprehensive expansion coupled with relatively stable development. Since developed and developing countries still require a process of adaptation and coordination in areas such as certification and market access, and developing countries also need a process of gradual standardization and further integration with international practices in developing organic agriculture and organic product markets, the current stage will persist for a considerable period of time. Global organic agriculture is developing vigorously, and its main development trends are manifested in the following aspects.
1.4.1 Global organic production and market demand will continue to increase.
As countries' awareness and acceptance of organic products continue to grow, more and more farmers will transition to organic production to meet market demand for organic products. The growth of the global organic market will be a major trend. In some major organic agricultural producing countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, and China, domestic organic consumer markets are also gradually taking shape. Organic products will enter mainstream sales channels, and the primary consumer group will be middle- and upper-class individuals pursuing high-quality and healthy food. Some large food companies, such as McDonald's and Nestlé, have also entered the organic sector. All of this indicates that organic agriculture is continuously growing worldwide, and organic products will increasingly appear in shops and on dining tables around the world.
1.4.2 From concern for environmental protection to attention to food safety
The primary purpose of organic agriculture in its early stages of development was to protect the environment and address the issue of sustainable agricultural development. Since the 1990s, especially since the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in Europe, consumers have shifted their concern from environmental issues to food safety issues. In Germany, although sales of conventionally produced beef have declined by 50% in recent years, sales of organic beef have increased by 30%. Purchasing organic beef requires paying at least 30% more than purchasing conventional beef, but customers generally believe that because organic beef production entails greater environmental and safety costs, paying a higher price is worthwhile. According to surveys, 56% of U.S. citizens consider organic food to be healthier; 60% of Danes frequently purchase organic vegetables and milk; and 30% of the bread on the Munich market in Germany is organic. As consumer demand increases for high-quality organic foods, especially organic foods with relatively high market shares such as fruits and vegetables, infant and toddler foods, grains, and dairy products, the organic food market will grow steadily.
1.4.3 The emergence and coordination of global trade barriers
At present, more than 80 countries around the world have established their own differing certification and accreditation systems. Different systems affect the trade process of organic products among countries and violate the original intent of organic regulations—namely, to increase trade, develop markets, and cultivate consumer confidence. The existing differing standards and regulations have created technical barriers to trade, forcing many organic producers to obtain multiple organic certifications in order to enter different markets. Therefore, international institutions and organizations such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) are actively working toward harmonizing organic regulations among countries and institutions, in order to avoid potential trade barriers and promote free trade in global organic products.
1.4.4 Improvement of statistical work
Global organic agricultural production and the share of organic products will continue to grow. In order to enable policymakers to obtain more accurate statistical data for policy formulation, European governments and relevant institutions will invest more effort in further improving and perfecting statistical work on various aspects of organic agriculture.
At present, quite a few institutions have been continuously working on statistical data for organic agriculture, including Germany's Central Market and Price Reporting Office (ZMP), the United Kingdom's Institute of Rural Sciences (IRS), and Switzerland's Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL). At present, these three institutions are working hard to build a common database and will publish relevant data on organic agriculture to the public through media such as the Internet. The collection and processing of organic market data is even more difficult. At present, the EU information system is carrying out a project on the organic market (www.eisfom.org), dedicated to providing more effective tools to improve the reliability of data analysis, so as to provide policymakers and traders with accurate market information.
1.4.5 Strengthening of policy support
Because of the positive significance of organic agriculture for health and the environment, organic agriculture has gained widespread recognition globally. Especially in Europe, within just over 20 years, organic agriculture has transformed from a previously marginal form of agriculture into a highly prominent form of agriculture. In order to ensure the sustained and stable development of organic agriculture, governments and private institutions in European countries will cooperate more closely to steadily advance European organic agriculture action plans and other policies related to organic agriculture. The United Kingdom has expanded the proportion of organic farmland, raising the target to 30%, and set the market share target at 20%. Although there may be some unforeseen factors constraining these targets, as long as a clear direction is set, it will certainly be beneficial to the sustained development of organic agriculture, and the proposal of such clear indicators can further increase public attention. Based on the current development levels of various countries, it is estimated that the proportion of organic farmland in the entire European Union can reach 25% by 2030.
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