Organic Expo

Organic & Environmental Associations

How can you tell if something is ‘Organic’?

The only way you can be assured that you are purchasing REAL ORGANIC products is to purchase products which have been organically certified with an accredited certifying body and the product displays their certification logo on the packaging.

In Australia, the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) audits organic industry organisations against the requirements of the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce to ensure the integrity of organic product is maintained.

In addition, the International Federation of Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) represents the worldwide movement of organic agriculture and has input into maintaining standards globally.

There are 7 accredited certifying bodies in Australia. Each bases certification of its members on the principles and certification criteria as outlined in the National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce. They may set additional criteria depending on their priorities; however, each involves scheduled and random inspections, a traceability process (paper trail) and various statutory or government declarations.

Each certifier uses two levels of organic certification. Level A is the top level and it means that a farm has fully converted to organics – ‘Certified Organic’. Level B is the in-conversion level. This is for produce from farms that apply the same management criteria as a level A farm, but they have been doing it for less than two years. As it can take many years to obtain certification status products can be shown as ‘In Conversion’.

Organic Certifying Associations

ACO – Australian Certified Organic (Biological Farmers of Australia)

NASAA – National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia

BDRI – Bio-dynamic Research Institute

Organic Growers Association

Safe Food Production

Tasmanian Organic-Dynamic Producers

Environmental Certifying Associations

Australian Environmental Labelling Association

Other Organic Groups

Biological Farmers Of Australia (BFA)
Not-for-profit organisation operating for the benefit of its members. Actively works to influence standards development, represent the industry at government level and support the growth of the Australian organic market.
BFA, PO Box 530, Chermside, QLD 4032
Phone: + 61 7 3350 5716 Fax: + 61 7 3350 5996

Organic Federation of Australia (OFA)
The Organic Federation of Australia (OFA) was established in 1998 as the peak body for the organic industry in Australia. Their role is to work in co-operation with all sectors of industry and government to develop the Australian organic industry from a niche industry into a major component of Australian and deliver benefits to consumers, producers and the Australian environment. The OFA fulfills a unifying national role for the organic industry by representing the interests of Australia’s organic and biodynamic producers to industry and governments at the local, state and federal level. The OFA does not certify farmers. Their role is to work with all of the organic industry to further the common aims.

The OFA is the only fully representative National Organic Body and includes all sectors of the industry: certifiers, horticulture, broadacre agriculture, meat production, wholesalers, exporters, retailers, consumers, processors, IFOAM, inspectors, regional organisations, education and research.

OFA
PO Box 166, Oakleigh, South Vic 3167
Email: info@ofa.org.au

Bio-Dynamic Farming & Gardening Association of Australia (BDFGAA)
PO Box 54 Bellingen NSW 2454
Ph: (02) 6655 8551. Fax: (02) 6655 8551

Brisbane Organic Growers (BOGI)
PO Box 236 Lutwyche QLD 4030

Canberra Organic Growers Society (COGS)
PO Box 347 Dickson ACT 2602

Green Innovations
195 Wingrove Street Fairfield VIC 3078
Ph/Fax: (03) 9486-4799

Organic Gardening Down Under
David & Kay Heaton, Brisbane, Qld

Organic Retailers & Growers Association of Australia (ORGAA)
PO Box 12852 A’Beckett St Post Office, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: 1800 356 299. Fax: (03) 9737 9499

Permaculture Research Institute (PRI)
PO Box 1, Tyalgum NSW 2484
Ph: (02) 6679 3275. Fax: (02) 6679 018.

Seed Savers Network (SSN)
PO Box 975 Byron Bay NSW 2481
Ph/Fax: (02) 6685 6624 / (02) 6685 7560

Soil Association of South Australia
GPO Box 2497 Adelaide SA 5001
Ph: (08) 8277 5385

Suncoast Organic Growers Group
Ph: (07) 5494 9940

Tweed Richmond Organic Producers Organization (TROPO)
PO Box 5076 East Lismore NSW 2480
Ph: (02) 6628 1084

Tableland Organic Growers Association
MSI 1039 Kuranda QLD 4872
Ph: (07) 4096 5138

Tasmanian Herb Growers Association
GPO Box 442 Hobart Tasmania 7001
Ph: (03) 6295 1708 Fax: (03) 6295 1964

Tasmanian Organic-Dynamic Producers
PO Box 434 Mowbray Heights TAS 7248
Ph: (03) 6383 4039 Fax: (03) 6383 4895

Tasmanian Organic Farming Advisory Service (TOFAS)
Ph: (03) 6435 1319

Tully Bio-Dynamic Gardeners and Farmers Association
Post Office, Tully QLD 4854
Ph: (07) 4068 7340

Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
Mt Murrindal Co-op Buchan, VIC 3885
Ph: (03) 5155 0218 Fax: (03) 5155 0218