Organics in Australia

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone

 

I had a little to say about the organic movement in Australia some time ago

and just came across this article this morning (see below). It appeared in

one of our main Sydney newspapers.

 

Vicki

 

 

 

How we lag in future of food

By James Woodford and Kirsty Needham

October 18, 2004

 

Australia is lagging the world in the booming $30 billion global market for

organic products - and the Government is being blamed because it has failed

to set standards or regulate the industry.

 

There is no legislation defining organic products, leaving consumers little

protection from fakes. The system of self-regulation by farmers has produced

confusion, with seven separate bodies producing different " certified

organic " labels.

 

While European countries set visionary targets for converting their farming

land to organic, nothing has happened in Australia.

 

One of the most senior organic industry representatives, Liz Clay, says the

domestic organic market is falling behind the rest of the world. A board

member of the peak international organic body and vice-chairwoman of the

Organic Federation of Australia, she says a lack of proactive government

policy, financial and legislative support are fundamental barriers to the

growth of the organic industry.

 

Ms Clay says that while the number of organic operators internationally has

surged, in Australia it has remained steady at a little over 2000.

 

No one knows for sure, however. The seven private companies accredited by

the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service to certify operators for

exports have had no obligation to reveal their lists.

 

There is no legislation requiring domestic organic products to be formally

certified, which means the sector is fully self-regulating. To producers

selling locally, the only organic certification available is the export

standard.

 

The chief executive officer of the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA),

Andrew Monk, says his company has about 1000 certified operations on its

books. Both the BFA and the National Association of Sustainable Agriculture

Australia have always revealed their lists.

 

Dr Monk says there is progress towards unifying the organic industry and

that there is not as much fragmentation of the certifying bodies as some

claim. " The marketplace is progressively becoming more harmonious with a

movement towards one common logo, " he said.

 

" It is a disappointment to us that we haven't been able to get domestic

legislation for organic. We would like to see domestic legislation that

fully protects the word organic. "

 

At present, the only guarantee of organic integrity is if produce has a logo

from one of the seven certifying bodies.

 

Marg Will, chief executive of Organic Food Chain, whose certifying business

is expanding " like a runaway train " , says she wants labelling laws because

fake organic is " a huge problem " .

 

" Coles and Woolworths demand certification for fresh fruit and vegetables

and food, but they are not carrying that through to personal care and

grocery lines, " she said.

 

Ms Clay also blames the industry's problems on disunity and competition

between companies charged with certifying producers, a failure of green

groups to fully back holistic, chemical-free organic farming methods and the

lack of a consumer body.

 

She believes it is crucial that governments give consumers certainty about

the organic label.

 

" They won't want to buy organic again if they have paid good money for

something full of pesticides that some guy at a market said was organic. "

 

Australia has by far the biggest area of organically certified farms in the

world - more than 10 million hectares. But this is made up mostly of vast

cattle properties in the north where going organic is relatively easy

compared to more intensively farmed areas. In dollar terms the organic

market is minuscule - around $300 million.

 

The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation gives the entire

organic industry, which crosses more than 50 agricultural sectors, $335,000,

slightly more than the allocation for deer farmers and less than for honey

bees.

 

However, the Federal Government says it is premature to move to protect the

word " organic " with legislation.

 

A spokeswoman for the parliamentary secretary for agriculture, fisheries and

forestry, Senator Judith Troeth, said the Government had invited

representatives from a range of organic industry organisations to make

recommendations, which would be reported next month.

 

" At this stage it is premature to be addressing issues such as 'whole of

industry' regulation and certification and ways to protect what is

constituted as 'organic', " she said.

 

" Currently, every person who produces, manufactures or markets organic

produce for export must be certified with at least one certifying

organisation approved by [the quarantine and inspection service]. "