The draft Australian Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Products has been released and is available for public comment. Standards Australia released the draft for public comment on 21st July. Members of the public and interested parties are encouraged to review the documents and provide feedback by 22 September 2008. Standards Australia is working towards publishing the Australian Standard by December 2008.

To read the documents, visit the Standards Australia website at www.standards.org.au and click on Drafts for Public comment in the left hand menu. 

A broadly based committee of key stakeholders has developed the draft Australian Standard. It stipulates requirements for the production, prepartion, transportation, marketing and labelling of organic and biodynamic products. It places particular emphasis on farming and management practices that promote the use of renewable resources and conservation of soil, water and energy resources.

The standard covers production from plants, aminal, fungi (for fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, mushrooms and fibres) as well as processed products such as food, cosmetics and skincare products which are labelled as "organic".

The standard is a very significant development because it will become the basis for the first Australian domestic regulations for organic food and products.

 The standard is designed to:

• Provide a consistent framework for the organic industry from paddock to point of sale
• Set out minimum requirements for growing products that can be labelled as "organic" and "biodynamic" or "in conversion".
• Provide clear definitions about what is organic and what is not
• Protect customers against unsubstantiated claims and misleading labelling
• Protect growers against misinterpretation and misleading use of organic agricultural practices and the term "organic"
• Provide a guide for farmers considering conversion to organic farming.