By Meg Riley

Australian organic certifier NASAA Certified Organic (NCO) has entered voluntary administration, ceasing operations as an organic approved certifying body and leaving hundreds of organic operators and exporters without a valid organic certification.

These operators will only be able to export their organic goods once they have transferred to a new approved organic certifier. They have been unable to export since 26 June this year, when NASAA Certified Organic (NCO) withdrew as an organic certifying body.

“The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) has established and distributed a policy to NASAA Certified Organic and all other organic approved certifying bodies to support NASAA Certified Organic operators and ensure a smooth transition and allow certified operations to continue with minimal disruption,” the DAFF said in its advice to operators.

“Under the policy, NASAA Certified Organic operators will be able to apply for a limited extension of their National Organic Standard certification, with a new organic approved certifying body.”

Operators will have until 26 September this year to transfer to an approved organic certifier before their current certification expires.

Speaking to The Advertiser, Phil Tabor, the owner of Blewitt Springs Wine Co in McLaren Vale, said the withdrawal of NCO could delay his business plans by two years or more.

“Having to go through another audit, soil test and then wait another three years to get that certified—that’s a worst-case scenario,” Tabor told The Advertiser.

“I found a customer last year that will take all of that new bush vine block, providing that next year it is organic. So chances are, if I don’t get that, they might turn around and say we don’t want it because it’s not organic.”

Are you a Daily Wine News subscriber? If not, click here to join our mailing list. It’s free!