The peak food growers body AUSVEG and the Australian Greens and have both expressed disappointment over a Senate committee's rejection of draft country of origin (CoO) labelling laws.
The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee has recommended more consultation and work on the issue in its recently released report on Greens-proposed amendments to the Australian Food Labelling Bill.
It said that the proposed bill did not go far enough to help consumers choose between home-grown and imported raw products, and it recommended the bill as it stood should not be passed.
“The committee recommends that the government should consider developing a more effective country of origin framework (including a more effective definition of 'substantially transformed'), which better balances the interests of consumers, primary producers and manufacturers,” its report said.
The report also suggested that a public education campaign would need to be mounted to explain any new guidelines to consumers once a workable plan had been agreed upon.
AUSVEG, the national industry body for Australian vegetable and potato growers, said it was disappointed that the draft of the bill had not been endorsed.
AUSVEG spokesman, William Churchill, said Country of Origin Labelling in its current form was “incredibly difficult to understand and in vital need of an overhaul”.
AUSVEG has campaigned heavily in recent years to improve CoO laws, working closely with the Australian Greens, consumer groups, the manufacturing sector and other farming organisations.
“Industry will obviously continue to provide feedback on the proposal as it is incredibly important in ensuring the long term viability of not only the Australian vegetable and potato industries but also broader agriculture,” Churchill said.
“It is encouraging that the Greens have indicated that they intend to respond to the report with further improvements to the bill to address the recommendations made, and AUSVEG will continue to work with the Greens on these amendments.”
Australian Greens leader Christine Milne, the bill's sponsor, said she would incorporate the committee's findings into a new bill. She said she would present this to parliament soon.
"Country of Origin labelling is something that consumers really want and I think it's critical to support Australian farmers," she said.
"One of the issues that came up in the inquiry was that people are also really concerned to know whether the product was manufactured in Australia as well, and that of course is important for local jobs.”
