Organic salmon certifier forced to share findings amid claims consumers misled

A ruling by an information tribunal has forced the Soil Association, a UK organic certification body, to release its salmon farm inspection reports to the campaign group WildFish. WildFish claims that the Soil Association's certification of farmed salmon as "organic" is misleading to consumers due to the use of chemical treatments and environmentally damaging practices. The ruling follows an 18-month battle for disclosure after WildFish requested the reports under environmental information regulations. The Soil Association initially resisted, arguing it wasn't a public body, but the tribunal dismissed this appeal. WildFish argues that certified organic salmon farming is very similar to uncertified farms, using open-net cages that discharge waste and chemicals into the environment. The decision could have broader implications for other organic food production control bodies.

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