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Short history
Swiss farmers were pioneers in the development of organic farming. Shortly after the founding of the organic-dynamic farming by Dr. Rudolf Steiner in 1924, farms were set up in Switzerland that aplied his methods and adapted them to the climatic and structural conditions of Switzerland. In the 40s Dr. Hans Müller developped the organic-biologic farming, taught the importance of a fertile soil to the farmers and established the idea of a sustainable economy with closed cycles in the plant production. In 1974, two far-sighted representatives of both cultivation methods founded the research institute for organic farming FiBL that attempted to back up scientifically the observations of the pioneers of organic farming. Modern times of organic farming began in 1981 with the foundation of the association of Swiss organic farming organizations (BIO SUISSE). Today this umbrella organization includes more than 30 agricultural member organizations and the research institute for organic farming. The first common standards for cultivation were approved in 1981 and at the same time the trademark of controlled organic farming, the Bud, was created.
Scope / What needs to be certified
The application of certification by BIO SUISSE must be made by an importer in Switzerland who holds the licence contract with Bio Suisse. It is not possible to hand in documents for certification to Bio Suisse without having a potential client in Switzerland. The BIO SUISSE approval does not give the right to use the BIO SUISSE/Bud-label on the products. This right is exclusively reserved to the BIO SUISSE license holder importing the products. The Swiss importer is charged for the fees for the handling of the application.
Labels
Requirements
Third parties without a contract with BIO SUISSE such as BIO SUISSE approved operations outside of Switzerland, are not entitled to declare their products with the BUD label themselves. This right is reserved to the importing company provided with a BIO SUISSE licence contract.
Products from BIO SUISSE-approved farm operations must be labelled on marketing leaflets, containers, packages, delivery
notes, invoices etc with the sentence approved by BIO SUISSE. All products approved as in conversion from BIO SUISSE must be clearly labelled as in conversion products. The following and similar declarations mustnt be used: BIO SUISSE, BIO SUISSE-product, BUD-product, BUD-approved product etc.
An exception is the case that the final consumer packaging is done abroad. In this case the processor/exporter may label the products with the actual BioSuisse logo (bud, Knospe) ON BEHALF of the importer (= Biosuisse licensee) and according to his instructions. This will be verified as part of the licensees (Swiss importers) inspection.
Please find detailed information in the leaflet declaration.
Ownership of label
The Bud is the registered trade mark of BIO SUISSE (association of Swiss organizations of organic farming). According to BIO SUISSE standards, the use of the collective label BUD (german Knospe) and the respective logo is reserved to the parties to a contract with BIO SUISSE (Swiss producers, licensees of BIO SUISSE, see article 1.3 ff of BIO SUISSE standards). The prerequisite for the use of the Bud is a valid contract with BIO SUISSE and the keeping of the BIO SUISSE standards for the production and the processing of and the trade with products of organic farming.
Third parties without a contract with BIO SUISSE such as BIO SUISSE approved operations outside of Switzerland, are not entitled to declare their products with the BUD label themselves. This right is reserved to the importing company provided with a BIO SUISSE licence contract.
Products from BIO SUISSE-approved farm operations must be labelled on marketing leaflets, containers, packages, delivery
notes, invoices etc with the sentence approved by BIO SUISSE. All products approved as in conversion from BIO SUISSE must be clearly labelled as in conversion products. The following and similar declarations mustnt be used: BIO SUISSE, BIO SUISSE-product, BUD-product, BUD-approved product etc.
An exception is the case that the final consumer packaging is done abroad. In this case the processor/exporter may label the products with the actual BioSuisse logo (bud, Knospe) ON BEHALF of the importer (= Biosuisse licensee) and according to his instructions. This will be verified as part of the licensees (Swiss importers) inspection.
Please find detailed information in the leaflet declaration.
Ownership of label
The Bud is the registered trade mark of BIO SUISSE (association of Swiss organizations of organic farming). According to BIO SUISSE standards, the use of the collective label BUD (german Knospe) and the respective logo is reserved to the parties to a contract with BIO SUISSE (Swiss producers, licensees of BIO SUISSE, see article 1.3 ff of BIO SUISSE standards). The prerequisite for the use of the Bud is a valid contract with BIO SUISSE and the keeping of the BIO SUISSE standards for the production and the processing of and the trade with products of organic farming.
Legislation
You can find the most important documents for BIO SUISSE certification on the homepage www.bio-suisse.ch
On the BIO SUISSE homepage, you can find besides the BIO SUISSE standards on farm production and processing and the BIO SUISSE directives several explanatory documents for operators abroad, such as:
On the BIO SUISSE homepage, you can find besides the BIO SUISSE standards on farm production and processing and the BIO SUISSE directives several explanatory documents for operators abroad, such as:
- Synopsis of BIO SUISSE standards for producers outside of Switzerland
- Regulations on the Implementation of BIO SUISSE Standards and Basis for Decisions of the BIO SUISSE Label-Commission «Import»
- Leaflet "Importation into Switzerland: Requirements for BIO SUISSE approval"
- Leaflet Portrait: BIO SUISSE and its import policy
