Organic Certification Explained

If it is not Certified Organic, you can’t be sure it is organic.

Formal organic certification of organic products is the producer’s guarantee to consumers that along the entire supply chain, a Certified Organic product has been produced in line with the strict national and industry Organic and Biodynamic Standards.

In Australia, the term ‘organic’ is not regulated as it is in the United States, Japan and China.

In these countries, a product cannot have the word ‘organic’ on it unless it is certified by a third party certification body such as NASAA Certified Organic.

In Australia, it is legal to produce a product and call it ‘organic’ without providing the consumer with any proof that it is actually organic.

NASAA Certified Organic maintains a register of all suspended/withdrawn and decertified operators for the public record which is located on the Operator Search Page.

If a product claims to be ‘Certified Organic’ the owner and the seller of that product must be able to prove the validity of the certification.

If the vendor is claiming it to be certified, and a consumer questions the validity of the certification, the vendor must by law (The Australian Consumer and Competition Act) be able to show the certificate of registration that confirms the product’s integrity.

In summary, the term ‘organic’ can be used on a product anywhere, anytime, without any legal consequences.

The term ‘Certified Organic’ can only be used on a product when the producer, processor and in some cases, the vendor, are certified by an independent third party certifier, such as NASAA Certified Organic.

When you see the NASAA Organic Label on a product, you can be sure that it is certified to the highest standard available in Australia (and to one of the most respected standards in the world).

It is your guarantee that the organic integrity of that product has been third-party verified.

Always check the label to be sure.

The NSAC (National Standard Advisory Committee) is the principal technical committee for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (the department) National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce (the National Standard). In supporting the department, the NSAC provide technical advice and recommendations on amendments, revisions, and updates to the National Standard, thereby acting independently of any organisation.

Download the National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce.