The Australian Certified Organic logo will come under review, thanks to increasing pressure from lobbyist group, Australian Organic Ltd.
If you’re confused about labelling in Australia, you’re not the only one. But an imminent government crackdown is about to see all that change.
For 26 years the Bud logo has been used on products to denote their organic status, and for the last 14, it’s also been used with the words ‘Australian Certified Organic’ – the name of the government accredited certification group that audits, tests and approves organic products.
It’s the most recognised organic certification mark amongst Australian consumers, and appears on the majority of organic products in the Australian marketplace.
But the logo is not a country of origin logo, merely a confirmation of organic status, something which has caused confusion among consumers over the years.
In the absence of clear imported food labelling requirements in Australia, lobbyist group Australian Organic Ltd has campaigned for greater clarity in labelling in recent years, including a submission to the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) review of food labelling law and policy, headed by Dr Neal Blewett, in 2009.
the logo is not a country of origin logo, merely a confirmation of organic status, something which has caused confusion among consumers over the years
The organisation’s chair, Dr Andrew Monk, says it’s disappointing it’s taken so long to strengthen food labelling import laws but the group is heartened by the recent announcements by the Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, that suggest clearer labelling is now imminent.
“The Australian Certified Organic logo was always intended to exist alongside transparent labelling information made available by manufacturers and importers. We wish to maintain and protect the Australian moniker for Australian producers and Australian manufactured product,” said Monk.
Imported products and products using imported ingredients must show evidence that they meet the strict organic standards that domestically produced ingredients and products do.
In the absence of domestic organic regulation, the presence of the Bud label on imported products has enabled consumers to have confidence that such products claiming organic status are indeed organic.
Given the fledgling size of the organic industry in Australia, it’s difficult for manufacturers to source all the certified organic ingredients needed within Australia – some products are simply not produced here. Australia also has a rising export trade particularly in beef, wine and horticulture.
The review of the Australian Certified Organic logo is scheduled to conclude in late April with recommendations to be put forward to clients and other related parties for comment.
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