Organic growers will be forced to be accredited to sell their produce under a national standard being developed to stamp out rogue traders and boost consumer confidence in the industry.
A Standards Australia technical committee working on a national standard and enforcement framework for organic and biodynamic goods looks set to force mandatory certification for producers.
The move would provide greater certainty for consumers buying organic produce and bring into line the 10 to 15 per cent of growers not certified.
Growers would still be certified by any one of seven accredited certifiers and using Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service export standards, but enforcement would need to come from governments.
But committee members said a shift to a uniform labelling system was still unclear because existing certifiers were reluctant to give up their current labels.
The organic sector began talks with Standards Australia in May to develop a national standard for organic and biodynamic goods, including fruit and vegetables, meat and processed foods.
Andre Leu, chairman of organic foods’ main body Organic Federation of Australia, said mandatory certification had emerged as a minimum requirement for industry reforms and stakeholders were also looking at how a national standard would be managed. “The critical thing for us is to get this standard up and then to get this standard mandated,” he said.
Under the existing regime, growers can choose whether to be certified, with mandatory certification compulsory only for exports.
Scott Kinnear, of Biological Farmers of Australia, which owns Australia’s biggest certifier Australian Certified Organic, had previously criticised the process because Standards Australia did not have the power to make a standard mandatory and it was unlikely governments would add an organic standard to legislation.
Mr Kinnear yesterday maintained government support was crucial but said a new compulsory system would ensure compliance.
A Standards Australia spokeswoman said a draft standard should be released for public comment by June.
Source: The West Australian