Work begins on the national Australian national organic standard

Standards Australia is Australia's first national domestic organic standard to develop supporting has widespread industry, consumers and Government.

Work has started on a new Australian standard for organic products including fruit and vegetables, meat and processed foods.The new Australian standard can also organic products, cosmetics and skin care products betreffen.Es will support consumer confidence in organic products from retailers and restaurants sold through that.

Deputy Managing Director of standards Australia, said Mr Colin Blair, Australian standard will provide a framework for the organic industry and will deal with production, processing, marketing and transportation."" It also provides clear definitions of is what organic and what is not "Mr Blair said.""He said"this new Australian standard will free up until the confusion once and for all,"."He said "this will be the first Australian standard for domestic organic market and after it will have widespread industry, consumers and Government support".

The development of the new Australian standard agreed to at the first meeting on Monday 7 of the Committee:

Use the Australian Quarantine and inspection service organic standard currently export as a basis for the new Australian standard for the domestic industry used; and to ensure that all important represented stakeholders are the balance of the Committee on development of the standard to reconsider.

The new Australian standard is:

Specifically dealing with unprocessed plants, animals and other organisms to human or animal use cultivated either directly or after processing;type requirements for primary production, transport and storage, preparation and packaging and marketing of organic produce; and establishing definitions for the terminology used in the industry, to remove ambiguity.

According to the organic Federation of Australia, Australian of organic sector was estimated at $ 500 million.Australia has between 6-15 per cent increase for a year while growing consumption by 25-40 percent per year.

The organic industry in Australia is currently self regulated with eight bio certification groups plus several overseas groups.A variant of ecological standards of the Australian Quarantine and inspection service (AQIS) use each of these groups developed for export.It is expected that the new Australian standard will replace that several variations of the AQIS standard currently used by farmers.

While standards Australia of the new Australian standard will develop it in the certification of producers or retailers who claim the standard to meet his must participates not standards Australia's role.

The decision to develop the new Australian standard by the organic Federation of Australia and a survey of more than 30 organic grower groups, industry bodies, certifiers, associations, consumer groups, retailers and government organisations asked few Australian standard with a number of organizations showed majority in favour of a new survey, the concern about the way the industry operates currently to bring.

The new Australian standard will be first voluntary, but the Council Australian primary industry, represents the State, territory and federal Governments, would you regulate the industry, specified using the new Australian standard after.

Industry during the development process standards concerns be published a draft of the Australian standard for public comment during the development process be scanned.the new Australian standard will be expected to 2008 completed.

Organisations invited, part of the Committee on development of the new standard will include:

• Australian food and food of Council.
• Australian dealer company.
• Biological farmers Australia / Australian certified organic.
• Bio-dynamic agriculture Australia.
• Bio dynamic Research Institute.
• Consumer Federation of Australia.
• Department of agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
• Department of primary industries and water, Tasmania.
• National Association for sustainable agriculture (NASAA).
• Organic Federation of Australia (owner).
• Organic Federation of Australia (processors).
• Organic industry export of Advisory Committee (OIECC).
• Organic dairy farmers cooperative Ltd.
• Organic grower's Association of Western Australia.
• Organic traders & consumer network.
• Secure food Queensland.

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