In the wake of the voluntary administration of South Australian-based NASAA Certified Organic Pty Ltd (NCO), farmers and food producers across Australia face challenges in maintaining their organic certifications. The federal government standards met by NCO have become void, leaving organic exporters until September 26 to secure new certification to avoid disruption in export operations.
Australian Organic Limited, led by Chief Executive Jackie Brian, is collaborating with the government to ensure smooth transitions, confirming, "There is no additional charge going to be imposed on operators to have those certificates reissued." Operators will retain the existing packaging for up to a year to accommodate transitional logistics.
Numerous industries, encompassing meat, seafood, baby food, fruit, wineries, and dairy companies, are impacted. Key brands like Bertocchi Smallgoods, Costa Farms, Fonterra Australia, Tasmanian Oyster Company, Bellamy's Organic, and SunRice must pivot quickly. Mulbarton Compost is among the businesses needing replacements for their lost certifications. Rebecca Weller of Mulbarton noted, "It was very sudden." While re-certification is uncharged, it demands significant administrative efforts, involving "a range of paperwork and time-consuming reports," Ms. Weller added.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has alerted operators that NCO certifications are void, and it is collaborating with other certifiers to mitigate operational disturbances. Organic infant formula is among the many affected products requiring renewed certification.
Regulatory calls intensify as Australian organic product labeling remains unrestricted. As per the ACCC, local market products don't necessitate certification to be deemed organic, though claims must be substantiated. Jackie Brian asserts the need for uniform national standards, stating, "In every other OECD country, you can only claim a product is organic if it's certified organic. We're lobbying to have that be the case in Australia as well."
Source: ABC News
