Digestate approved for organic farms

Compost and digestate derived from household food waste can now be used on organic farmland, in a move which could benefit both organic waste recycling companies and organic farmers.

The Soil Association’s certification body has just announced that it will permit the use of composts and digestates derived from household food waste on farms which it has certified as organic.

 The announcement follows a detailed review by Soil Association Certification of the risk of potential GMO contamination. The Association for Organics Recycling (AfOR), the Waste & Resources Action Programme and environmental consultancy Resource Futures were also involved in the review process.

The review concluded that the risks are currently “extremely slight” in material sourced from households – although the Soil Association Certification will continue to review risk levels on a regular basis.  The announcement is expected to benefit both organics recyclers - by opening a viable end market for their outputs - and organic farmers who will benefit from the use of nutrient-rich food waste derived compost and digestate.

Jeremy Jacobs, chairman of AfOR said: “At the moment if you are in organic farming, you can use animal manures and garden waste compost but up and until now you couldn’t use food waste or anaerobic digestate.  So this is a boon to organics farmers and it is another outlet for composters - it is a win, win situation.”