The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has approved the addition of algae production to the National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce, allowing Australian organic algae producers to compete in the global market.
The application for the amendment was approved following a public comment period and review by the National Standards Advisory Committee.
The National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce (the National Standard) is Australia’s technical export standard for organic and bio-dynamic goods, and provides the requirements for the labelling of goods produced under organic or bio-dynamic systems.
The National Standard also includes requirements for production, processing, storage, transportation, labelling and importation of goods aligning with the requirements of its international trading partners.
Deputy secretary of agricultural trade Nicola Hinder said it was exciting to see the amendment to include algae come to fruition.
“As the main focus in equivalence arrangements with our international trading partners, it is vital we ensure all sectors are represented to ensure ongoing trade opportunities for organics goods across all sectors of agriculture.
“There is a significant shift in some consumer preferences towards organic products seeing sales in organic products grow worldwide,” Hinder said.
The department resumed direct management of the national standard in January 2022 and has since released Edition 3.8 which includes organic wine production, the first major update to the National standard since 2017.
An Industry Advice Notice on the amendment’s introduction will be issued by the department. The physical release of an updated national standard will occur in early 2024.
