Plant production rules
Article 12
1. In addition to the general farm production rules laid down in Article 11, the following rules shall apply to organic plant production: (a) organic plant production shall use tillage and cultivation practices that maintain or increase soil organic matter, enhance soil stability and soil biodiversity, and prevent soil compaction and soil erosion; (b) the fertility and biological activity of the soil shall be maintained and increased by multiannual crop rotation including legumes and other green manure crops, and by the application of livestock manure or organic material, both preferably composted, from organic production; (c) the use of biodynamic preparations is allowed; (d) in addition, fertilisers and soil conditioners may only be used if they have been authorised for use in organic production under Article 16; (e) mineral nitrogen fertilisers shall not be used; (f) all plant production techniques used shall prevent or minimise any contribution to the contamination of the environment; (g) the prevention of damage caused by pests, diseases and weeds shall rely primarily on the protection by natural enemies, the choice of species and varieties, crop rotation, cultivation techniques and thermal processes; (h) in the case of an established threat to a crop, plant protection products may only be used if they have been authorised for use in organic production under Article 16; (i) for the production of products other than seed and vegetative propagating material only organically produced seed and propagating material shall be used. To this end, the mother plant in the case of seeds and the parent plant in the case of vegetative propagating material shall have been produced in accordance with the rules laid down in this Regulation for at least one generation, or, in the case of perennial crops, two growing seasons; (j) products for cleaning and disinfection in plant production shall be used only if they have been authorised for use in organic production under Article 16. 2. The collection of wild plants and parts thereof, growing naturally in natural areas, forests and agricultural areas is considered an organic production method provided that: (a) those areas have not, for a period of at least three years before the collection, received treatment with products other than those authorised for use in organic production under Article 16; (b) the collection does not affect the stability of the natural habitat or the maintenance of the species in the collection area. 3. The measures necessary for the implementation of the production rules contained in this Article shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 37(2).