Campaigners have won a legal battle to force the Soil Association to disclose its salmon farm inspection reports, amid claims that certifying farmed salmon as 'organic' misleads consumers. The information tribunal ruled that the charity's certification arm must share the reports with WildFish, a campaign group that has labelled the practice 'unacceptable greenwashing'.
WildFish argues that organic-certified salmon are produced using methods similar to non-organic farms, including open-net cages and chemical treatments. A 2023 report by the group documented the use of the pesticide Deltamethrin—toxic to marine life—and formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen, at organic farms.
The Soil Association Certification had resisted disclosure, arguing it was not a public body and that obligations lay with Defra. However, the tribunal dismissed its appeal, a decision that could have wider implications for other organic certification bodies.
Dominic Robinson, chief executive of Soil Association Certification, said the organisation had not sought to withhold information but wanted to ensure the correct reporting channels were used. The Soil Association is now consulting on tightening its organic salmon standards, having warned it could withdraw from the sector if progress on environment and welfare is not made by summer.
