Russia's First Organic Horse Meat Certification Granted in Yakutia

Yakutia Becomes First Russian Region to Receive Official Organic Horse Meat Certification

Yakutia has become the first region in Russia to obtain an official certificate for the production of organic horse meat. The document, confirming compliance with the highest quality standards, was issued to Vera Likhanova, an individual entrepreneur from the village of Magaras in Gorny District.

The certification was conducted by the accredited body Roskachestvo-Organic and applies to both the horse meat itself and its processed products.

As Vera Likhanova explained, the idea to certify her products did not come spontaneously. She first seriously considered it last May, and a visit from a federal expert to the republic proved decisive.

When Vladimir Uvaidov, director of Roskachestvo's Department for Organic and "Green" Product Development, visited Yakutia, Likhanova took the opportunity to discuss prospects with him in person. The meeting took place in Khangalassky District, where an agro-school's potatoes were undergoing certification at the time. Uvaidov was accompanied by Yekaterina Romanova, a Russian patent attorney for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and founder of the Made in Yakutia initiative.

"I told them I have a horse farm—I breed horses, with over 20 mares in my care—and asked if foal meat could be certified," Likhanova recalled.

Soon after, she received a detailed list of required documents from Moscow. After reviewing the requirements, the entrepreneur developed an action plan, and work began in earnest in August of last year.

Obtaining an organic certificate, according to the farmer, is fundamentally different from standard inspections. Here, every detail must be proven—from soil composition to the vitamins in the horses' diet.

"An organic certificate is unlike any other: you have to prove that your raw materials are environmentally clean. No plant protection chemicals can have been used on the land for five years. We gathered countless documents—from veterinary services, forestry agencies, and other authorities. You have to specify every vitamin the horses receive, every feed—everything," the farm owner explained.

Particular attention was paid to the feed base. The grass in the pastures where the horses graze was analyzed, and after slaughter in the fall, the meat itself was sent for testing.

The process was complicated by the fact that such analyses are not conducted in Yakutia. Samples had to be sent to Moscow. The hay alone was tested for 141 types of pesticides, and examining the meat took even longer. Fortunately, all tests came back clean, the farmer noted with pride.

Specialists from the Republican Center for Food Technologies played a significant role in preparing for and successfully completing the certification. Through joint efforts with the center's experts, the producer established a control system and confirmed that the entire cycle—from animal husbandry conditions to meat processing—fully complies with Russia's national standards for organic products.

The certification ensures consumers that Yakutian horse meat is produced without antibiotics, growth stimulants, synthetic feed additives, or GMOs. This is the first case of its kind in Russia's meat industry, opening new opportunities for exports of Yakutian products, commented Ayal Timofeev, head of the Republic of Sakha's (Yakutia) Food Technology Center, a state budgetary institution.

Vera Likhanova herself admits that earning the certificate has only increased her responsibilities. More work lies ahead—next, she plans to certify wild-grown plants as well.

A reminder: since September 1, 2024, Russia has tightened labeling requirements—only products that have undergone official certification may be marketed as organic, "eco," or "bio." Yakutia has reaffirmed its leadership in this field by prioritizing quality and the authenticity of its traditional horse breeding.