At Buy Organics Online we take the word organic quite seriously and expend considerable energy in ensuring that our products are what they say are - natural and organic. Claiming a product to be organic can be a marketing ploy rather than a verifiable one and we advise that looking for Australian certified organic products is a good strategy to pursue when shopping for natural organic products. But what does Australian certified organic mean and how can you tell that the certification is legitimate and not simply some swish marketing ploy?

Amidst all the confusing marketing, it's sometimes easier to pick out the claims that are grossly exaggerated but there are literally hundreds of seemingly official-looking labels that, despite their apparent credibility have more often than not been provided by an unscrupulous producer rather than by a real licensed environmental assessor.

The word organic is liable to such abuse.‘

For example, when cosmetic companies use the term organic they could be entire use the ely genuine or they could be using language that is either:

●Using Science in broad terms – As the product contains carbon-based compounds they can make the claim that they are “organic”— which is fine until you realise that carbon is an element in every life form that has ever existed.

●Using “poetic licence”– to use feel good terms that their marketing research has shown will appeal to our need for ‘pure’, ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ products.

●Claiming green credentials –making much of the fact that some product ingredients have been sourced from legitimate suppliers of plants grown organically.

None of this language guarantees the absence of non-organic ingredients in their product. The only way you can be certain that this is the case is if the product has been certified by an accredited company.

Quite remarkably, the label organic is much harder to apply to exported goods than goods sold on the domestic market. It falls to the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service to regulate the use of the label on exported goods. However, the use of the label on the domestic market is not regulated. Obtaining certification is a voluntary exercise that adds credibility. For both food and cosmetics the label certified organic certifies that the product has been examined by a reputable third party and found to meet their standards for certification.

What does organic mean?

In a literal sense organic means grown naturally without the aid of synthetic fertilisers or insecticides. However, in a commercial sense a product deserving of the organic label can’t just be chemical free. It represents a holistic system of growing and handling the product. Every part of the production chain is important that includes the soil, plants, animals, food, people and the environment.

The term organic has become synonymous with innovative methods of farming and production. It is rapidly becoming recognised as being on the cutting edge of both the food and fibre technologies.

Australia, currently has licensed seven organics certification companies to certify products as meeting this standard of organics. The companies are Australian Certified Organic (ACO), Bio-Dynamic research Institute, Organic Food Chain (OFC), National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA),Safe Food Production Queensland(SFPQ),AUS QUAL Limited (Aus-Qual) and the Tasmanian Organic-dynamic Producers (TOP)

The largest and most recognised of these companies is Australian Certified Organic Products. Products that have been certified by ACO carry their BUD Logo. The BUD is visible on a large range of certified organic products ranging across apples, baby foods, organic coffee, organic tea, organic liquorice and clothing produced from organic materials.

The BUD Logo is widely recognised by aware consumers as a sign of integrity. It is perhaps the only organic logo that has significant brand recognition.. The BUD is said to represent what Australian organics represents as well as reassuring consumers that all the product ingredients have been assessed and certified to meet the Australian Certified Organic Standard through a rigorous series of certification checks.

Each certification agency has their own certification logo. These are the only seven companies currently licensed to certify

Certification

While there are no statutory requirements for organic products sold domestically within Australia, many businesses selling organic products here make the choice to obtain organic certification to build consumer confidence in their products to support the concept of truth in labelling.

All of the licensed certifying bodies base their certification standards on the export standard used by the department of expert certification which is also referred to as the National Standard.

There are moves afoot to standardise certification and labelling of Australian organics. Standards Australia is advocating for a switch to one label and a unified national standard. This initiative is supported by the vast majority of the Australian organics industry,

GMOs

Organics certification groups are also required to monitor labelling claiming products to be ‘GMO free’ and ‘GE free’.

By its very nature organic production and farming prevents the use of genetic engineering and genetic modification. The principle is a sound one but in practice it is very difficult to monitor. For this reason certifiers will label products to be ‘non-GMO’ rather than GMO- or GE-free. Manufacturers who label their products to be GE-free could run into trouble with the ACCC as Fair Trading Law will impose the burden of truth upon them.

Manufacturers are found to be in breach of trading laws if products labelled GE free are found to contain GE ingredients. Companies choosing to label products ‘GE-free’ are either supremely confident in their labelling or taking a huge risk. Penalties for misleading the public are severe and as the onus of proof in this case is on the manufacturer.

There are obvious advantages for producers to obtain organic certification but many new producers are not sure how to get a product certified organic.

How to Become Certified Organic

Currently to become certified organic, application will need to be made through one of the certification bodies. Each body will have slightly different procedures however, they will all follow a similar roadmap which is broadly outlined below.

The process is not a quick one and producers need to factor in an in conversion period of at least one year. This allows for a thorough analysis of such metrics as soil results. During the “in conversion” period, producers will be supplied with In Conversion Logos and appropriate certification informing all interested parties that the producer is in the process of being certified organic.

Prior to applying for certification, producers are advised to investigate what Certification Services/Programs are most suitable for their requirements. If the producer’s market is solely domestic then they will need to meet the ACOS Standards. However if they have export markets they will need to get their products certified internationally. This can be done through most of the licensing bodies who will be able to walk applicants through the particular requirements.

The application process starts by submitting some essential information to the certification company. Provided all relevant information is submitted, the applicant will then receive information specific to their situation together with the relevant forms to be completed in order for the certification process to begin in earnest.

Once the assessor has received the completed documentation they will begin assessing the producer's organic status and determine what tests need to be done initially to confirm that the applicant meets all relevant criteria.

At this point auditors will arrive on site. Their role will be to test all products and procedures. In the normal course of events. Soil testing, product testing and organic verification will be conducted. Dialogue between assessor and producer should be open and clear. If any deficiencies are identified during this period, the producer will be given a month to rectify the matter. If necessary they will be given guidance and support to overcome any difficulties.

Once the audit is completed, a final review of all tests and information will be conducted by the assessor. Upon completion of the review a certificate will be issued stating that the producer is either organic or “in conversion” indicating that the producer is in the process of being certified organic.. Once certified, the producer will be licensed to use the certification company’s logo.. A certification number will also be issued at this time.

Any labels proclaiming certification will need to be forwarded to the certification company for approval by the certification team..

Similarly any subsequent products developed by the producer will need to be submitted to the certifying company for certification. Product recipes and or procedures will be reviewed accordingly by the certification team and subsequently added to the certificate once approved. Ongoing Care – we will run annual audits and update your certification for as long as you want.

Any subsequent changes to internal processes or procedures will need to be advised to the certifying body so that the changes can be accurately documented and if necessary approved.

Organic Certification lasts one year and then requires an audit be conducted to ensure that the producer is still meeting all of the standards required to be certified organic. Ideally the audit should be conducted eight weeks before the current certificate expires.

It is quite possible at this time that Corrective Action Requests (CARs) could be raised. If so, the producer will be accordingly notified and given an appropriate length of time to address and rectify the issues raised.

In Conclusion - What Does it Mean to Be Certified Organic?

Being certified organic is not simply a marketing exercise. There is a rigorous and thorough certification process that helps consumers recognise those products and brands that are legitimately organic in the true sense of the word.

Organic food and organically produced products are becoming more and more in demand as consumers seek to eat healthy and live sustainably. That means that there are a lot of unscrupulous businesses out there looking to leverage this awareness into profits. Only by seeking out organically certified products can the consumer be certain that they are getting what they are paying for.

Buy Organics Online has gone to great lengths to identify and source those products that meet the strict certification standards as required by Australian Standards. Our comprehensive range of organic superfoods organic skin and beauty products and natural organic foods meets all the required standards.

When you choose to shop at Buy Organics Online, you are choosing to shop with an ethical supplier of quality organic goods that meet all certification guidelines.

Be certain of quality and purchase your certified organic products from Buy Organics Online today!