Organic and Biodynamic Produce
- What is meant by 'organic' and 'biodynamic'?
- The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's role in the organic and biodynamic food industry
- Organic and biodynamic research and development
- Labelling of organic produce for Australia's domestic market
What is meant by 'organic' and 'biodynamic'?
Organic farming systems include those referred to as biodynamic or biological. The basic principle of organic farming is to achieve optimum quantities of produce and food of high nutritional quality without the use of artificial fertilisers or synthetic chemicals.
Organic farming emphasises:
- the use of renewable resources
- the need to conserve energy, soil and water resources
- maintaining environmental quality.
The production cycle is as closed as possible, with limited use of external inputs permitted by the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce.
A biodynamic farming system has additional requirements to an organic system. Biodynamic farming systems are founded on the application of preparations originally developed by Rudolf Steiner and subsequent methodologies derived from practical application, experience and research based on these preparations.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's role in the organic and biodynamic food industry
The department's Food and Agriculture Division is the contact for organic industry domestic policy matters.
The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) is responsible for organic industry export policy matters, including maintaining the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce.
AQIS also manages the Organic and Biodynamic Program. Day-to-day responsibilities for certification and inspection have been devolved to the AQIS approved certifying organisations.
Through its audit processes AQIS ensures that all operational and administrative procedures of the approved certifying organisations are compatible with the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce, the Export Control (Organic Produce Certification) Orders and importing country requirements.
AQIS audits each approved certifying organisation together with at least two certified operators (eg farmers, processors) annually.
The AQIS Market Maintenance Group is responsible for negotiating import requirements with 'new' overseas markets for Australian organic and biodynamic produce.
AQIS also provides secretariat services for the Organic Industry Export Consultative Committee (OIECC), which is the formal communication mechanism between government and Australian organic and biodynamic industry.
OIECC meets annually to discuss operational policy, administration issues, as well as market access events.
Organic and biodynamic research and development
The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) has an organic research and development program, worth about $300 000 annually, and has been working with the organic industry since 1996.
Other organic research and development projects have been funded through the Australian Research and Development Corporations and Companies.
Organic producers have also received funding through programs such as the Government’s New Industries Development Program and Food Processing in Regional Australia Program.
A 2004 study – The Australian Organic Industry – A Summary – commissioned by the Australian Government to help remedy the lack of information available on the organic industry found that there is a significant and growing number of certified organic and biodynamic operators in Australia. These operators represent rural industries as diverse as grains, horticulture, viticulture, meat, dairy, wool and coffee.
Labelling of organic and biodynamic produce for Australia's domestic market
All foods produced or imported for sale in Australia and New Zealand, including organic food, must be labelled in accordance with the Food Standards Code developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
FSANZ (formerly ANZFA) protects the health and safety of the people in Australia and New Zealand by maintaining a safe food supply. It is a bi-national independent statutory authority which develops food standards for composition, labelling and contaminants, including microbiological limits. These standards apply to all foods produced or imported for sale in Australia and New Zealand.
If you intend to produce or sell food or fibre that claims to be organic or biodynamicyou should be aware of the minimum requirements for production, processing and labelling of organic produce specified in the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce.
The Commonwealth’s Trade Practices Act 1974 and the various state and territories’ fair trading laws protect against fraudulent and misleading practices (including for food labelling).