MFGS PROCESSING STANDARDS

I. Introduction

 Driving forces in the food system

 Food safety: driving force
 Food establishment policy

II. Basic Food Microbiology

III. Extraneous matter (filth) in Foods
IV. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Philosophy
 Definition
 Importance
 Elements

V. Guidelines/requirements of GMP
 Personal hygiene
 Sanitary construction of buildings
 Process control
 Food plant sanitation

I. CONVERSION:
The time between the start of organic management and certification of crops is
known as Transition period or conversion period. It is also defined as the
time when the usage of all prohibited materials stops up to the time when
the cops can be sold as organic.

a. Two (2) years is needed for a farm to convert from conventional to

organic.
b. For a land newly exploited or long deserted, at least 8 months conversion
period is required.
c. Farms heavily treated with chemicals (8 bags of fertilizers or more), the
conversion period should not be less than three (3) years.

REQUIREMENTS:
1. When traditional agricultural methods fulfill all the conditions indicated
in this set of organic standards proposed, they do not require any
transition / conversion period.
2. Switching back and forth from conventional to organic v farming is not
allowed. If a producer switches back and forth, he will be required to
have a conversion period of two years.
3. If possible there should be two months-fallow periods after each cropping
month.

II. REQUIREMENTS FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION:

 A crop rotation system for rice and other annual crops (green manure, legumes, etc)
to manage the pressure from insects, weeds, diseases and other pests while
maintaining or increasing soil organic matter and fertility.
A practice combined planting and raise (e.g. rice-duck farming), which may benefit to
the agro-ecosystem and soil fertility is promoted.
All crops and animals on the farm shall be practiced under the organic rules.

a. Choice of variety
1. Masipag rice varieties are preferred for Masipag farmer adoptors.
2. All rice seeds should be adapted to the local environment of the farmers.
3. Traditional varieties and Improve varieties from traditional
parent materials are generally recommended.
4. All seeds and plant material for the organic rice farms should be from the
organic farms or traditional farms (where local variety seeds could be
obtained)
5. Genetically engineered rice seeds are prohibited.
6. Conventional F1 hybrids are not allowed.
7. Seed treatment should be done on the basis of non-chemical methods and by
use of microbial cultures, which would enrich soil fertility. Botanical seed
treatment can be use, provided they have been known not to persist nor
inhibits seed germination, nor affect the growing conditions of the plants.

REQUIREMENTS:
a.Seeds and seedlings must come from sources that are guaranteed organic and
must not have been treated with any prohibited product.
b. Organic seed of appropriate rice varieties shall be used in the organic farms.
c. All rice seeds must have been tested in the Trial farms or Verification farms
d. When organic rice seeds are not available, conventional rice seeds may be
permitted provided that they have not been treated with pesticides not
otherwise permitted by this standard.
e. Varieties of high quality, resistant to insets and decease, adapted to the local
bio-ecosystem are preferred. A wide range of varieties and crops shall be
grown to maintain biodiversity at the farm.
f. While selecting seed varieties, care should be taken to protect local variety seeds
available in the local areas and developed through natural breeding
techniques.
g. Irradiated seeds should not be used in the organic rice cultivation
h. Botanical seed treatment can be use, provided they have been known not to
persist nor inhibits seed germination, nor affect the growing conditions of
the plants.

b. Cultivation
1. An appropriate seeding time of each variety is choose based on the element of
local climate to get the optimum annual period for plant growing.
 2. Rice seedling shall be managed in accordance with the organic principles, using
the materials permitted by the organic standard.

3. An appropriate planting distance should be determined for each variety used to

maximise yield.

4. An optimum density of seedling transplanting shall be designed in

consideration of that healthy growing plant that have higher sustainability
to the pressure from insects, diseases and weeds.

5. For the farms, which are growing seeds or seedlings intended for organic rice
production, the same standards prescribed for organic rice cultivation shall
apply.

c. Fertilization
1. Clearing land by burning rice straw is prohibited.
2. Materials of green manures and legumes from the organic base shall form the
basis of the fertility program,
3. All synthetic chemical fertilizer is prohibited.

REQUIREMENTS:
1. Development and implementation of a conscientious soil building techniques and
improvement program to enhance organic matter supply and encourage
optimum soil health should be sought.
2. Allowing rice straw to decompose in the farmland to enhance the soil fertility is
promoted.
3. The maximum quantities of fertility products that will be applied to the farmland
shall be limited, taking into account the risk of nutrient leakage and
contamination.
4. Agricultural limestone, natural phosphates, and other slowly soluble rock
powders are allowed to apply.
5. Wood-ash and other natural products should be of organic origin.
6. Soil testing will not be mandatory for inspection and/or certification purposes.
However, all farmers must manage their soils properly.
7. Rice hulls and rice straw should be ploughed into the soil twice, the first
ploughing to be done at least two weeks before planting of the new rice
crop, the second ploughing to be done at least 1 week before the planting
of the new rice crop, to allow some time for soil organisms to digest
portions and minimize nitrogen immobilizations when the rice crop needs
it.
8. It is much better to shred or cut the rice straws to short pieces to minimize snags
in ploughing and to enhance the decomposition by soil micro/macro
organisms.
9. Well-dried manure of livestock should be incorporated into the soil, to allow
some time for soil organisms to digest them and neutralize any pathogens
 and detoxify any antibiotics. The ploughings also serve to thoroughly mix
it into the soil and also destroys the weeds growing from the manure.
10. Organic rice cultivation should be suitably linked to location specific cultivation
of plants for green manuring.
11. There should be diversification and integrated farming system.

d. Irrigation

1. Heavy metals in irrigation water are not allowed.

2. Irrigation water should be free of contaminants from conventional fields.
3. Conventional farmers should not be allowed to wash their sprayers in the
irrigation canal.

REQUIREMENTS:
a. If the water are contaminated, drainage canals should be fix to allow the water to
run freely into ditches, thus minimising contaminants from entering the paddies.
Conventional farmers should not be allowed to wash their sprayers in the
irrigation canal.
b. Deep well sources of irrigation water are most recommended for each farmer.

c. The Irrigation plan shall be properly regulated to create an optimum ecosystem for
plant growing.

d. If possible, a catch pond shall be install in the field to allow contaminated irrigation
water to subside prior to using the water for irrigation.

e. Pest, Disease and weed management

1. The uses of synthetic chemicals are not allowed.
2. Natural substances or botanical sprays such as neem, kakauate and kinugay are
allowed.
3. Makabuhay are restricted if they can kill beneficial insects.
4. The use of Tubli is restricted, if they can affect fish kill in the area.
5. All genetically engineered products are prohibited.

REQUIREMENTS:
a. Preventive measures should be done to control insect and pest infestation by
destroying their habitats near the rice fields
b. Animal raising in rice field (ducks) and the use of natural predators and
parasites as controls are allowed.
c. Visual, physical and sound “scarers” like scarecrow and bamboo drums, and
physical barriers to keep out pests are allowed.
d. Alternative Pest Management can be done by;
1) Choosing appropriate rice varieties;
2) Making appropriate rotation programs;
3) Selecting appropriate seeding time.
4) Conducting a model of cultivation in a combined planting and
 raising;
5) Protecting natural enemies of pests.
6) Implementing mechanical controls such as traps, barriers, Light
and sound.
7) Others recognized organic practices or farmers developed and
adapted technologies.
8) Providing conditions favoring natural equilibrium:
9) Water management
10) Removal of insects, pests and diseased plants by hand or by
mechanical devices

e. Use of cultural practices such as good land preparation, fallow periods after
early maturing varieties, cutting, good spacing, plant alignment and
ploughing of stubble after harvest. If tractors are used for land
preparations, make sure that the machines are not spilling oil.

f. Weeds are to be controlled through a combination of cultural practices that

limit weed development such as good land preparation, good spacing,
green manure, mulching, fallow, intercropping, water management and
use of azolla. Care should be given in managing azolla when there are
over-production in the paddies.

g. Products used traditionally for pests, diseases and weed management preferably
prepared from local sources from plants, animals and micro-organisms
are allowed, if used sustainably.
h. All Farmers Developed and Adapted Technology (FDAT) and Indigenous
Knowledge Systems (IKS) are allowed provided they have been
reviewed by Masipag Scientist.

f. Harvesting

1. Rice should be harvested when it reaches full maturity (at least 80 % of the
grains in the panicle are matured) to prolong shelf life.
2. Weed seeds should not be allowed to be mix with the harvested rice grains.
Weeds with fully matured seeds should be removed prior to harvesting.
3. For Threshers, which was used in threshing conventional materials; thresh two
sacks of organic rice to clean the inside of the tresher. The two sacks will be
considered as conventional, and the next third sack will be considered as
organic and there on.
4. Conventional machines or tools shall be cleaned completely before harvesting
organic rice.

5. Bags of synthetic fertilizers or any prohibited chemicals shall not be used in

packaging the harvested products.

6. Use clean sacks and wash them before using as container for harvested products. If
 possible use new sacks.

REQUIREMENTS:
A. Harvested rice should be immediately hauled to a safer location, free of
contaminants.

B. Machines or tools particularly for harvesting organic rice shall keep way from
contamination and substances prohibited by organic standard.
c. Harvest first the buffer rice crops before harvesting the main organic crops.
Separate the harvested buffer crops to avoid mixing them with the main
organic crop.
d. Farmers should be aware of the maturity period of his rice varieties to prevent
early harvesting and thus preserve the organic quality.
d. Weeds with fully matured seeds should be removed prior to harvesting.

g. Drying

1. Moisture content should not be more than 14%.

2. Organic rice can be dried through dryer or natural ways that are pollution-free.
3. Solar drier should be cleaned prior to scattering the grains,.
4. Do not dry organic and conventional materials at the same time in the solar driers.
5. Drying organic rice on road or any polluted areas are prohibited.

REQUIREMENTS:
a. Organic rice shall be dried promptly right after harvesting.
b. Drying personnel’s should practice good hygiene, no spitting in the driers, no
drinking of liquors while drying and do not scatter cigarette butts while
drying.
c. leave at least two feet vacant around the perimeter of the solar drier, to prevent
contamination from stones or any grains.
d. Drying equipments like poles and rakes should be properly cleaned prior to
using.
e. Strayed animals should be kept out of the drying facilities.
f. The use of mats or tarpaulins however is allowed.

h. Others

Assorted plant and/or animal preparations, biodynamic preparations, microbial

activators, bacterial inoculants and mycorrhiza, etc and microbes used in the
production of certified crops or products. must be naturally occurring, not the
result of genetic engineering.

III. PROCESSING, PACKAGING, STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION and

TRADING.
 Products from alternative guarantee system should be processed, stored, packaged,
labelled or transported in a fashion that will insure organic integrity. Care should
be given to avoid intermingling of conventional and organic product.

There should be physical segregation of the conventional and organic products if

they are stored in one storage room. Proper labelling should be observed.

Pallets should be used in piling the sacks to avoid contact with the cement floor.

a. Processing
1. Rice mill should be cleaned properly prior to milling organic rice.
2. Miller should not use prohibited chemicals in cleaning their machines.
3. All organic rice should be milled once prior to milling conventional rice.
4. Miller should not intermittently mill conventional and organic rice.
5. Rice mill should be cleaned properly prior to milling organic rice.
REQUIREMENTS:
a. Use of pre- and post- harvest procedures / facilities and packaging materials,
which ensure maximum product quality (appearance, hygiene, freshness,
and nutrition) using techniques and materials that are consistent with these
Basic Standards are recommended.
b. A five sacks of organic rice should be milled first to clean the mill and should be
classified as conventional. The next sack will be organic and there on.
c. Processing and handling shall be done separately in time or place from processing
of non-organic products.
d. When equipment is not exclusively used for organic products, the machineries
should be properly cleaned before processing organic products.

b. Packaging

1. Packaging materials should be made from

natural materials, and, must be free of fungicides, preservatives,
fumigants, insecticides and other contaminants.
2. Packaging materials must be food grade and of suitable design to protect the
organic integrity of the product, and must be reusable and/or
recyclable.
3. Any printing or labelling on the product or outer packaging should use non-
toxic inks and adhesives and must not come in contact with the
product.
REQUIREMENTS:
The guaranteed product should carry the Masipag Logo.

c. Storage
 1. Clearly marked label should be seen in the organic area, the label should be
readable in a 10-meter distance.
2. Conventional products should be stored at a separate storage areas to avoid
accidental mixing.
3. Synthetic chemicals to control storage pest are prohibited.

REQUIREMENTS:
a. Guaranteed products must be stored in such a manner as to minimize
contamination by pollution or prohibited substances and must be stored in
a fashion that will preserve the organic integrity of the commodity.

b. Pest management should emphasize knowing the target pests, good sanitation,
and destruction of habitats for pests.
c. Domestic animals that are known to carry pest or parasites that can affect quality
of products should be restricted or excluded to enter the storage areas.
d. Ongoing monitoring and inspection should be performed in the facility to
determine the presence and degree of activity of any insect or rodent and
parasites from domestic animals. Monitoring/inspection should also assess
the efficacy of any remedial actions in the pest management program.
e. Allowed materials/practices for pest management:
1) Mechanical, electrical and adhesive traps, and physical barriers
2) Traditional but organic storage methods
3) Preparations from locally grown botanicals
4) Use of natural predators

d. Transportation

1. Do not transport both organic and conventional at the same time using the same
container or transport facilities.
2. Clean thoroughly all transport medium prior to loading.

REQUIREMENTS:
a. Guaranteed products may not be transported in a fashion that may compromise
organic integrity.
b. Transport first the organic products prior to transporting the conventional
products.,

e. Trading.

Traders or retailers of organic rice should be certified based on retailing standards.

Proper documentation of traded organic rice should be present on the traders or
retailers, including the total volume traded on a seasonal basis.
All documents pertaining to trading including receipts should be made available.
All buying and selling records must be available anytime during the cropping season.