SMK publishes draft version of the revised certification scheme On the way to PlanetProof Plant Products

As of the 1^st of January 2023, new requirements will apply for the On the way to PlanetProof Plant Products certification scheme. SMK invites stakeholders to comment on the draft certification scheme which is available from now on.

Public consultation

Today SMK has published the draft certification scheme On the way to PlanetProof Plant Products on the website. In addition to this, an explanation of the proposed changes has been provided. De documents are available in

• English
• Spanish
• German
• Dutch

With this, the public consultation has started, which will take place until the 21^st of October. Stakeholders can give written or oral feedback on the proposals for the revision.

Written response

Your written response to the proposed changes is welcome until the 21^st of October 2022, via the Consultation Form (English/Spanish).

Meetings

SMK also organises three meetings to give input.

• Dutch public hearing: on Tuesday the 18^th of October, from 1 to 3.30 PM, at Expo Houten, The Netherlands
• Spanish online meeting: the 19^th October, from 3 to 5 PM (MS Teams)
• English online meeting: the 20^th of October, from 3 to 5 PM (MS Teams)

Please register for the (online) meetings by using the links above, before the 11^th of October.

Development process

The development of the draft certification scheme has taken place in consultation with all interested parties, in accordance with the conditions established by SMK for scheme development and decision-making. In practice, it has meant that there has been extensive consultation with representatives of growers (TTW; technical committee), the energy working group, the international supervisory committee, advisors and researchers. The response from the public consultation, including the feedback during the meetings, will be considered in the final decision on the certification scheme by The Board of Experts in December 2022.

Explanation of changes in the certification scheme

The Board of Experts proposes a few adjustments for the new certification scheme. Some important changes are:

1. The risk substances lists are revised, after evaluating changes in regulations and the availability of alternatives.
2. Emission due to electricity consumption is added to the emission standard for covered crops.
3. Registration of energy consumption and calculation of greenhouse gas emissions is also mandatory for open cultivation. This creates more insight into energy consumption and opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
4. For the theme of water, there are new optional measures and a mandatory number of points to be obtained, depending on the risk of water scarcity in an area.
5. A farm nature plan is required for open cultivation, leading to the realisation of 5% acreage for biodiversity on the farm in 2026.