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The organic advantage

Organic standards in food integrity are of integral importance in organic and biodynamic production.

Organic and biodynamic food and food integrity

In the highly varied global food market consumer demand is growing for food and agricultural products that are seen to be safe and healthy and have low impact on the environment. As a result of this growing demand supply is increasingly failing to meet demand, requiring importation of additional products from overseas.

Last month Justin King, CEO of Sainsbury’s - the UK’s second largest retailer, commented on changing consumer choices. "[While] almost every question a year ago was about price; everything today is a question about quality," he said, adding that industry was seeing a "sea-change in customer attitudes to food and the impact it has on the environment."

Some critics argue that we’re wasting our money because there’s no proof that conventionally produced foods pose significant health risks. Now, however, there are many new reasons to buy organic. For example:

  1. A growing body of research shows that pesticides and other contaminants are more prevalent in the foods we eat, in our bodies, and in the environment than we thought.
  2. Studies also show that by eating organic foods, you can reduce your exposure to the potential health risks associated with those chemicals.
  3. The increase in food miles for transportation reduces the credibility of environmental labelling as a consequence of the product being sourced at some distance from its point of sale. So too, the time it takes to get from paddock to plate.

Consumers seeking these food attributes are willing to pay a premium for such products where they carry a verifiable assurance that they are safe, nutritious and produced using systems and methods that care for the environment. Products certified as organic or biodynamic are seen, more than any other production method, as providing such assurances.

Organic/biodynamic standards

Australia has a well regulated and internationally recognised system for organic and biodynamic production and processing that dates back 20 years. The National Standards for Organic and Biodynamic Produce, administered by Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), form the minimum mandatory requirements for export of products labelled as ‘organic’ or ‘biodynamic’.

These standards are implemented by seven independent AQIS accredited certification organisations, which use independent third party auditors to conduct annual whole farming system inspections and ensure a comprehensive record keeping system is in place to allow trace-back and verification of inputs used, management practices, yield and sales.

Organic production

Organic food is food produced according to organic standards, which means:

  • crops grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers or sewage sludge;
  • animals reared without the routine use of antibiotics and growth hormones; and
  • food processed without ionising radiation and without the use of a wide range of food additives.

It is food that has been produced on all levels without the use of genetically modified organisms. Historically, these farms have been small family-run farms.

Biodynamic agriculture

Biodynamic agriculture is similar to organic farming but with some additional requirements for preparing the soil and growing conditions. The basic principle is that a farm is looked upon as a living entity, with only a minimum of inputs being brought in from outside. Commercial fertilisers permitted in organic production are generally not used. As with the organic system, chemical fertilisers and synthesised chemicals are not permitted. Both biodynamic and organic are types of organic farming, with biodynamics being an extension of organics.

The organic standard

Producers must be capable of satisfying the standard to receive certification under the Australian Certified Organic Standard Version 6, 2003. The standard explains the specific requirements for organic production, conversion from conventional to organic production and natural resource management. The standard also specifies the conditions for processing and transporting organic products, such as keeping specified produce separate from conventional produce.

Farm evaluation is on a case-by-case basis. To be a certified organics producer, one must be capable of satisfying the requirements of the standard for at least one year before products can be labelled as “organic in-conversion.” Producers must then continue to meet the specified requirements for a further two year minimum period before being permitted to use the term “organic”.

Growers are generally expected to progress certification to full organic within 4 years with a full assessment of the farm itself, condition of the land, and to what extent the farmer has developed an organic system according to the requirements of the standard. The length of conversion will also depend on circumstances such as previous chemical use on the land.

There is a legal requirement under the Export Control Act 1982 that requires everyone who produces or manufactures organic produce for export to be certified. Certification is optional for the domestic market; however the Trade Practices Act 1972 and various State and territories fair trading laws provide protection against misleading and deceptive practices. The National Standard provides guidelines for labelling various organic and biodynamic produce.

Food integrity

An understanding of the organic industry contributes to a better understanding of what food integrity means and involves. The key points are:

  • Standards for quality, traceability, food safety, and environmental sustainability of the production process should be defined and applied to the whole of the supply chain.
  • Communication is essential between all chain partners.
  • A failure to meet standards anywhere along the chain will affect every member of the supply chain and reduce the credibility of any labelling or branding of the product in the market place.

For further information

Contact
Michael Stone
Food South Australia
p +61 8 8463 3188
e michael.stone@sa.gov.au

Food Talk, Summer 2007 (Issue 24)