Developing an Organic Management Plan

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(In) Credibly Organic Andrew Monk CEO Eco
Labelling Conf. Canberra 2003
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Outline

• This presentation will cover
• Overview of organic industry
• Outline of organic regulatory systems
• Key issues facing the industry
• Why the (in)credible organic success?

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Who is BFA and ACO?

• BFA is a not for profit member based
  co-operative. Publishes the AOJ, tech bulletins,
  etc and the Organic Standard (v6).
• BFAs subsidiary ACO certifies 50 of organic
  operations in Australia.

POSTERS ORGANIC IS KNOWINGWHERE IT CAME FROM
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Certification

• ACO is accredited by
• AQIS (via BFA name - transition)
• Thus also EU (EN45011) Japan MAFFvia
  equivalence
• USDA
• IFOAM (non gov) (with NASAA accounts for majority
  of exports)
• Maintains recognition with private groups (eg UK
  Soil) as well as other govs eg Quebec
• BFA collects over 50 of industry levies
• Funded through producers and processors
• Input Manufacturers (AIs)
• Membership charges

POSTERS ORGANIC IS KNOWINGWHAT YOU ARE EATING
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Why UK consumers purchase organic foods

• Organic food is perceived as
• Healthy 53
• Produced without artificial inputs50
• Tastes better 43
• GM free 35
• Environment friendly 28
• High animal welfare standards 24
• (Source Soil Association, 1999)

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Figure 2 Why Australian consumers purchase
organic foods
Source Lockie, et al, 2002.
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Standards and Regulations

• National Standard V3
• Being the base standard for
• Organic Standard Version 6
• Compliant to
• National Standard
• IFOAM requirements
• USDA NOP referenced
• Leads with environment, food safety, social
  aspects

GATE SIGNS
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Certification possibility types

• Parasitic
• Feeding off, self serving
• Symbiotic
• Interdependence
• Epiphytic (commensalism)
• Dead woodirrelevance

THE CERTIFICATION BULLETIN
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Why the (incredible) success?

• Organic is international in its nature Codex
  Alimentarius IFOAM (NGO) and government
  bilateral agreements.
• Organic is black and white there are clear
  specifications in Standard eg NO use of
  synthetic agrichemicals (not just process
  management approach).
• Organic takes a broad view of what environmental
  management means. eg GMOs (contentious), social
  aspects.
• Organic driven by an eclectic grouping of
  interests with strong consumer base which it
  reacts to (eg GMOs, food irradiation) balancing
  government and movement.
• Regulated (third party independent) labelling
  and traceability system which maintains
  integrity of products marketed

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The challenges

• Multitude of regulatory requirements (next
  slides)
• Competing government, industry and market
  interests (service vs markets)
• Two cultures within a licorice all-sorts
  industry
• Delivery of professional and commercial
  regulation

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US Import Requirements

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UK
Germany
Other European
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But, is this not the nature of the beast?

• Regional variations(biosuisse and wines)
• Private/NGO and most particularly not for
  profit entities (symbionts cf parasites) will
  have varying priorities
• Ideal aim for equivalence wherever feasible and
  government sensitivity to this but

ON-LINE TECHNICAL INFORMATION
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Key Messages re Government

• Essential for ground base for regulation
  wherever feasible
• Was a main force through the 1990s for the
  organic industry in Australia as a binding
  agent
• 00s have seen new complexities market and
  government driven
• Cant fix all problems and shouldnt be
  expected to
• Where feasible bi and multi-lateral G2G
  arrangements ideal
• Better still amphibious gov and private systems
  optimal eg government recognising NGO and vice
  versa

ON-LINE ACCESS TO FORMS
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In Summary

• Organic industry successes have been based on
  balancing consumer/market place demands, industry
  interests/needs and having effective and
  appropriate government involvement.
• Organic has defied early critics due to sticking
  to real world differences in its production
  requirements and in turn gaining market support
  for real difference.
• The black and white approach to certification
  comes at a cost it will not be taken up by all
  which means this vehicle is appropriate to
  having the market drive it through premiums and
  product differentiation.

THE AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC JOURNAL
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Thank you
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