Definitions, principles and
basic concepts of organic agriculture Organic agriculture started  
as a movement in early  
20th century mainly by  
practitioners to overcome problems arising from intensification. After  
1980s, standards and nationally  
established systems were introduced in most of the developed countries.  
The main reason of setting standards was due to enlarging European  
especially German market and  
organic product flows from all  
over the world because of the  
strong demand. Standards aimed  
at “facilitating trade” by providing a common language between the  
producer and the distant importer and at protecting consumers from  
misuse of the term “organic”. As of 2017, there are about 88 countries  
having an official national standard,which regulate the production and the market (Willer and Lernoud,   
2017). Among these 88 countries,  
there are relatively few reciprocal  
equivalencies between countries  
(especially regarding major markets as USA, EU, Canada, Japan, or  
South Korea) based upon bilateral agreements. In all other cases,  
products must be certified according to the rules of the importing country in order to have access to the  
international market. The leading  
international or national standards may define organic agriculture  
from different perspectives and may have minor differences, however  
in all cases they base on common  
principles.
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) is the umbrella organization established in 1972 to unite the organic  
movement at world wide level.
The first basic guidelines, which  
were later developed into basic  
standards was prepared by IFOAM.  
IFOAM’s definition of organic  
agriculture embraces human and  
social aspects and quotes that  
“organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health  
of soils, ecosystems and people.  
It relies on ecological processes,  
biodiversity and cycles adapted to  
local conditions rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition,  
innovation, science to benefit the  
shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved”
In 1970s and 1980s, there were few national and state legislations as  
France and California and Oregon  
in the USA, however the major  
impact came with the European  
Union Commission regulation  
from the European Union, first  
for plant based products in 1991  
(EEC  20 C 1235/2008 92/91) and  
then production methods of animal products was added in 1999. It had a multiplier effect on developing  
countries to develop their national organic systems since this regulation obliged countries exporting to the  
EU to prepare their own legislation, which was later postponed and finally removed. In due time, the scope of the regulation was widened. The  
latest major changes for the basis and implementing regulations occurred in EC 834/2007 (Basic requirements), EC 889/2008 (implementing  
regulation), E (import requirements to the EU) and then on the use of EU logo in 2010