Final report on aquaculture (Part A)

In consideration of: • the lack of organic juveniles reported by some MS; • the restriction on the movement of live animals between countries and regions based on the Council Directive (EC) No 88/20062; • the reluctance of farmers to introduce on their farms animals which could be unsuitable for the local (geographical) environment (e.g. genetic or population traits, resistance to different diseases, growth performances, reproductive cycle, behavioural characteristics, etc.); and • the lack in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/20083 of specific organic rules for managing the life cycle stage between the hatching and the weaning of juveniles, the Group supports the use of non-organic juveniles, for on-growing purposes, when organic aquaculture juvenile animals are not available, subject to the following restrictions/recommendations: a) Organic juveniles should be used when available. b) At least the latter two thirds of the duration of the production cycle shall be managed under organic management (Article 25(e)(2) of Commission Regylation (EC) No 889/2008). c) After the approval of specific organic rules for the life cycle stage between hatching and weaning of juveniles, a transitional period may be established to allow farmers to comply with the new rules. Furthermore, the Group supports the creation of a database on the availability of organic juveniles produced in each country, comparable to the seed database (Article 48 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008). Transparency of the use of non-organic juveniles should be ensured in such a database

Final Report on Feed

The expert group for technical advice on organic production (EGTOP; thereafter called „the Group‟) in replying to point a) of the mandate concerning substances assessment concludes on the basis of the knowledge available in the group and information provided with the dossiers and by the Commission that: E 535 Sodium ferrocyanide anti-caking material, should be approved for use as a feed additive in salt for organic animal feed, subject to: - a maximum dose rate of 20 mg/kg NaCl (the maximum defined for human food) and - a limited time period, in order to provide a legal basis for current practice in the short term and to encourage the adoption of preferred carbonate alternatives longer term. E 566 Natrolite-Phonolite anti-caking material should be approved for use as a feed additive in organic animal feed, subject to the limit of 25,000 mg/kg complete animal feed specified in EC Reg. 739/2000. E 551a Silicic acid by precipitation anti-caking material should not be approved for use as a feed additive in organic animal feed on the basis of available information about need given the available, more natural alternatives. Further information on this issue should be provided to support the application. E 568 Clinoptilolite anti-caking material should be approved for use as a feed additive in organic animal feed, subject to the limit of 20,000 mg/kg complete animal feed and the livestock classes specified in EC Reg. 1810/2005. E 237 Sodium formate preservative should be approved for use as a feed additive in organic silage, subject to the outcome of the review of the authorisation of this product under Articles 4 and 7 of Regulation 1831/2003 currently in progress. If approved: - it should be considered whether formic and propionic acids should be deleted from Annex VI to Commission Regulation (EC) 889/2008; - the same restrictions relating to weather conditions and silage quality as currently apply to formic and propionic acids under the organic regulations should apply; o the concept of „difficult‟ silages and/or „poor‟ weather conditions‟ that would determine eligibility to use the products should be clarified. Initial dry matter content or sugar content of the forage might be a basis for this. Humic acid substances are not currently authorised as a feed additive under EU regulations so they cannot be considered for use as such in organic farming. Their classification as feed material was not considered to be appropriate by the Group, which also noted their current designation as pharmacologically active substances with possible implications for animal health. In reaching these conclusions, the Group considered that compliance with the organic regulation needs to be assessed according to several criteria which are summarised in Annex 1. The Group in replying to point b) of the mandate concerning the template for the member states dossier with respect to animal feed materials, feed additives, certain products used in animal nutrition and processing aids, developed the document presented in Annex 2 to this report. This includes a section incorporating the criteria for assessment of consistency with the EU organic regulations. The Group considered that it would be helpful to develop some interpretative guidelines to support the dossier template. The Group in replying to point c) of the mandate concerning technical aspects of transition to 100% organic feed requirements for non-ruminants concluded that while there are technical solutions that can be implemented in the short to medium term, there is a need for further research on alternatives and knowledge transfer, a need to reflect on the nature and principles of organic non-ruminant production (whether semi-industrial or extensive), and a need to consider continuing with derogations for a short period limited to specific ages and types of non-ruminants and specific feedstuffs

Final report on Fertilizers and soil conditioners

The expert group for technical advice on organic production (EGTOP; thereafter called „the Group‟) has discussed whether the use of the substances/products/techniques mentioned below is in line with objectives, criteria and principles as well as the general rules laid down in Council Regulation (EC) 834/2007 and whether they can therefore be authorised in organic production under the EU legislation. The Group concluded the following: - Hydrolysed proteins from animal by-product origin are in line with the objectives, criteria and principles of organic farming and should be included in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008, with the following restrictions: (i) Chemical hydrolysis only exceptionally acceptable in cases where it is required by Regulation 142/2011; (ii) not to be applied to edible crop parts. - Leonardite is in line with the objectives, criteria and principles of organic farming and should be included in Annex I with the following restriction: only, if obtained as a by-product of other mining activities. - Chitin is in line with the objectives, criteria and principles of organic farming and should be included in Annex I. The Group recommends that only chitin products originating from sustainable fisheries or organic aquaculture should be used. - Sapropel, as well as similar organic sediments from fresh water bodies, are in line with the objectives, criteria and principles of organic farming and should be included in Annex I, with the following restrictions: (i) Only organic sediments that are by-products of water body management, and which are extracted in ways that cause minimal negative impact on the aquatic ecosystem, should be used; (ii) Same limits for heavy metals, as given in Annex I for household waste, should be applied; (iii) Sediments rich in contaminants such as petrol-like substances should not be used. - Animal (including wild animals) by-products of category 3 and digestive tract content (category 2), co-digested with organic materials included in Annex I, are in line with the objectives, criteria and principles of organic farming and should be included in Annex I with the following restrictions: (i) animal by-products must not be from factory farming; (ii) not to be applied to edible crop parts. - The technique of carbon dioxide enrichment should be considered in general discussions on a set of standards for organic protected cropping. In the opinion of the group, carbon dioxide rebalancing, as well as enrichment to elevated levels, is not in contradiction to the Council regulation. The group concluded that certain forms of carbon dioxide enrichment techniques could be in line with organic farming principles. However, the group has not concluded whether carbon dioxide from all origins should be acceptable. The Group has also drafted the template for the dossier mentioned in Art. 16(3)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) 834/2007 in relation to fertilizers and soil conditioners. Finally, the Group noted that the compositional requirements in Annex I of Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 for „composted or fermented household waste‟ and for „products and by-products of animal origin […]‟ require a limit of “0” for Cr (VI). The group agreed that it would be more appropriate to write "not detectable" instead of “0”

The international anorectal physiology working group (IAPWG) recommendations: Standardized testing protocol and the London classification for disorders of anorectal function.

BackgroundThis manuscript summarizes consensus reached by the International Anorectal Physiology Working Group (IAPWG) for the performance, terminology used, and interpretation of anorectal function testing including anorectal manometry (focused on high-resolution manometry), the rectal sensory test, and the balloon expulsion test. Based on these measurements, a classification system for disorders of anorectal function is proposed.MethodsTwenty-nine working group members (clinicians/academics in the field of gastroenterology, coloproctology, and gastrointestinal physiology) were invited to six face-to-face and three remote meetings to derive consensus between 2014 and 2018.Key recommendationsThe IAPWG protocol for the performance of anorectal function testing recommends a standardized sequence of maneuvers to test rectoanal reflexes, anal tone and contractility, rectoanal coordination, and rectal sensation. Major findings not seen in healthy controls defined by the classification are as follows: rectoanal areflexia, anal hypotension and hypocontractility, rectal hyposensitivity, and hypersensitivity. Minor and inconclusive findings that can be present in health and require additional information prior to diagnosis include anal hypertension and dyssynergia.Conclusions and inferencesThis framework introduces the IAPWG protocol and the London classification for disorders of anorectal function based on objective physiological measurement. The use of a common language to describe results of diagnostic tests, standard operating procedures, and a consensus classification system is designed to bring much-needed standardization to these techniques