Approved Ingredients for Organic Diets

The EU has a somewhat similar list (Table 4.1), but one detailing non-organic feedstuffs that can be used in limited quantities in organic feeds for poultry. It may be inferred from the EU list that organic sources of the named ingredients are acceptable. 

Most countries follow the EU system and do not publish an approved list, stating that all feedstuffs used must meet organic guidelines. An example is the USA, where the regulations also state that all feed, feed additives and feed supplements must comply with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. 

The Canadian provinces Quebec and British Columbia currently allow pure amino acids (AA), a distinction being made between those of fermented origin (approved) and those of synthetic origin (prohibited). 

Based on the information above, which is drawn from both the northern and southern hemispheres, the following can be suggested as a potential list of the feedstuffs available for organic poultry production in many countries. Not all of the feed ingredients in Table 4.1 are suitable for inclusion in poultry diets, since the lists include those more suited for ruminant feeding. In addition, some of the ingredients are not usually available in sufficient quantity. 

One of the questions raised by the publication of lists of approved feed ingredients in organic regulations is how new ingredients are added. 

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