One of the Angove family’s vineyards. Image courtesy Angove Family Winemakers
A proposed bill to regulate the use of the term ‘organic’ in Australia has received wine industry support, with South Australian brand Angove Family Winemakers backing the move.
The National Organic Standard Bill, a Private Senators’ Bill tabled by the Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie would, if passed, make Australia the final country in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) to create a legal definition of the word “organic”.
Victoria Angove, managing director at Angove Family Winemakers, has voiced her support for the bill, saying that the regulation would help to protect markets and ensure consumer confidence in organic products. Angove Family Winemakers operates across two vineyards in South Australia’s McLaren Vale and Riverland regions, producing certified organic wine for domestic and export markets.

“It’s very difficult for a producer making misleading claims to be held to account,” said Angove. “We need claims of being organic validated by formal certification. There is a loophole there and we would like to see it closed.”
“Domestic regulation would put Australian certified organic producers in a better place to gain equivalent organic certification in other countries, which would reduce the double handling and dual audit processes that currently exist.
“For our industry to reach its full potential, we need the support of a domestic standard to ensure all operators are doing the right thing.
“This will instil confidence in our customers that the produce they are buying from Australia is the best in the world.”
Jackie Brian, chief executive officer at Australian Organic Limited, emphasised that the bill would put in place a degree of consumer protection that is “desperately needed”.

“We know from survey data that consumers are being misled by labels that make unverified organic claims, which is unfair to those buyers and unfair to the producers who go through the lengthy and rigorous process of attaining organic certification,” said Brian.
“It has been a loophole we have been calling to be closed for a long time, and we hope to work with all sides of politics to set the standard for consumers in Australia that is the norm for so many countries around the world.
“Regulating a domestic standard for organic production and labelling would not just be a benefit to consumers but would also help unlock new export markets.”
Brian said that in order to unlock “future benefits”, the organic industry needs to address the “key barrier” of market access.
“Many countries, including key trading partners such as South Korea and the United States, do not recognise our export standard and require producers to get additional certification, which can be a complex and costly process. Some producers are having to do this in multiple jurisdictions.
“If Australia had domestic regulation, it would help our government negotiate equivalency arrangements with other nations meaning producers would only need to attain one certification, the National Organic Standard established by this Bill, cutting red tape and stimulating export growth.
We encourage anyone who has an interest in organics to support this Bill and play a part in establishing a mandatory National Standard.”
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