Information on Transport/Shipment Rules
As stated in ‘Turkish Regulation on the Principles and Implementation of Organic Farming’ published in the Official Gazette No. 27676, ARTICLE 2 – (1) Scope;
This Regulation covers the technical and administrative issues related to the production or supply of all types of plant, animal and aquaculture products and the inputs to be used, in compliance with the organic farming method, the yeasts used as food or feed, the collection of products from forests and natural areas in accordance with the principles of organic farming, the processing, packaging, labeling, storage, transportation, marketing, control, certification, inspection of these products, and the penal provisions.
That is, the transportation of products produced in accordance with the organic production method and the products collected from forests and natural areas in line with the principles of organic farming is an organic farming activity.
Similarly, in Article 4 Definitions it is stated that ‘Organic farming activities: Production or cultivation of organic products or inputs using soil, water, plants, animals, and natural resources, collection of products from natural areas and resources, harvesting, slaughtering, processing, classification, packaging, labeling, preservation, storage, transportation, marketing, import, export, and other processes until the product or input reaches the consumer.’
Transportation is a process within organic farming activities that must be inspected by the authorized control and certification body.
The ‘Turkish Regulation on the Principles and Implementation of Organic Farming’ published in the Official Gazette No. 27676, Chapter Five on Processing, Packaging, Labeling, Storage, Transportation, and Marketing of Organic Products, provides us with very useful information about the rules for transporting organic products:
Transportation of organic products Article 31 – (1) The rules regarding the transportation of organic products are stated below.
a) Operators must ensure that their organic products are transported to other units, including wholesalers and retailers, only in appropriate packaging and vehicles, in such a way that the contents are not spoiled, the packaging and labeling are not damaged, kept sealed, and with the following statements specified in this Regulation:
The name and address of the operator, or, in different cases, the product owner or seller,
An invoice or delivery note clearly stating that the product is organic,
The name and code number of the authorized body controlling the operator,
In order to carry out complete control during the transport of organic products, the information required by the authorized body is carried along with the product. Transportation information is documented in writing. Accounts show the balance between incoming and outgoing products.
Regarding organic production and labeling of organic products, Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018; Article 3 on definitions
‘‘stage of production, preparation and distribution’ means any stage from the primary production of an organic product through its storage, processing, transport, and sale or supply to the final consumer, including, where relevant, labelling, advertising, import, export and subcontracting activities.’
According to the EU Regulation (EU) 2018/848, the basic organic production stages are: -Production, -Preparation, -Distribution, -Storage, -Import, and -Export.
The EU Regulation (EU) 2018/848 Annex III specifically addresses ‘Collecting, Packaging, Transport and Storage of Products’.
Accordingly, Annex III, 2. Packaging of products and transport to other operators or units 2.1. Information to be provided
2.1.1. Operators shall ensure that organic products and in-conversion products
are transported to other operators or units, including wholesalers and retailers, only in appropriate packaging, containers or vehicles closed in such a manner that alteration, including substitution, of the content cannot be achieved without manipulation or damage of the seal and provided with a label stating, without prejudice to any other indications required by Union law:
(a) the name and address of the operator and, where different, of the owner or seller of the product;
(b) the name of the product;
(c) the name or the code number of the control authority or control body to which the operator is subject; and;
(d) where relevant, the lot identification mark in accordance with a marking system either approved at national level or agreed with the control authority or control body and which permits the linking of the lot with the records referred to in Article 34(5).
According to Supplementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1698, Article 11 (1), control applied by the control body also covers production units, equipment, and facilities under the control of the operator or group of operators, as well as transport vehicles.
According to the guidance document No. 2601 of the United States Department of Agriculture-USDA National Organic Program (NOP = National Organic Program), one of the stages included in the control process is also the transport stage, under the control of both producers and processors.
To ensure the integrity of organic products and to guarantee the prevention of mixing and contamination, all necessary measures must be taken in transport vehicles and during transportation, and the adequacy of these measures must be monitored, and if necessary, the measures must be strengthened.