General Assembly of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) Approved Principles of Organic Agriculture
The approved Principles of Organic Agriculture consist of 4 principles upon which organic agriculture is based:
The Principle of Health - Organic Agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal and human as one and indivisible.
The Principle of Ecology - Organic Agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them.
The Principle of Fairness - Organic Agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities.
The Principle of Care - Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well being of current and future generations and the environment.
Principles apply to agriculture in the broadest sense, including the way people tend soils, water, plants and animals in order to produce, prepare and distribute goods. They concern the way people interact with living landscapes, relate to one another and shape the legacy of future generations. Each principle is followed by an action-oriented explanation.
IFOAM is the worldwide umbrella organization of the organic movement, uniting 771 member organizations in 108 countries. IFOAM's mission is leading, uniting and assisting the organic movement in its full diversity. IFOAM's goal is the worldwide adoption of ecologically, socially and economically sound systems that are based on the Principles of Organic Agriculture.
Further information from IFOAM