How do we compare standards and certifications in one country to our own country or to international standards? I guess this is an old problem. I have heard some people say ISO is completely useless and others sing its praises, but the basic idea of trying to establish internationally recognized standards is a great idea, though it will never be perfect.
I recently ran across a tea producer in Thailand who has a "Government Certified Organic" status from the Thai government. Some buyers have questioned if the Thai standard for organic is the same as the United States standard. Then again, that is still only one country's standard, not an international standard.
This tea producer states that no chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used on the tea. Even that statement, though, is a tough one qualify. Even though something is completely natural and good for the environment and human consumption, it still has a chemical makeup. So, all these terms and statements need to be qualified and very specific. Thus...standards.
Honestly, I would imagine the Thai organic certification is just as strict as the standards for other countries. The same would be true for most of these Asian nations. The laws, standards, and certifications are almost identical. The trick often lies in what it takes to receive that certification.
As a random and completely fictitious example, how about air pollution certifications in China. If we have a Chinese factory belching out pollution, but with good relationships in the right government bureaus, they could probably obtain some kind of clear-air, environment-friendly certification for their factory. There is nothing wrong with the certification, just the process of certifying itself.
Thailand seems to be pretty reliable about these things, though. And for the record, this is more from my own thoughts and opinions, rather than from solid data. I would like to find more information on the comparison of these different organic certifications, though, or at least a clear list of the criteria to meet these standards.
