ORGANICS FACTSHEET

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6 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ORGANIC PRODUCTS

WHAT IS ORGANIC?
Organic and biodynamic farming utilizes methods that care for the
environment, and farm without synthetic chemicals or unnatural
interventionist approaches. Both traditional and modern techniques
are used to maximize the wonders of mother nature and natural
processes to farm and create pure real food.
Organic farming means no artificial pesticides, no synthetic
herbicides, no hormones and no growth promotants and stems
from a strong focus on soil health for both plants and food for
animals, with animal welfare and biodiversity an integral part of
the farming.
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION
Well-defined standards and independent assessors and audits
are used within the Australian Organics Certification Program to
ensure farmers and processors are truly meeting national and
international organic and biodynamic regulations.
If a product does not carry a logo (such those on the following
page – e.g. the ‘Bud’ logo), you cannot be sure if it is truly certified
as organic. Certification is a lengthy process, whereby a minimum
of three years of organic management must be met before
certification can be obtained and displayed on packaging.
BIODYNAMIC VS ORGANIC
Biodynamic farming is an enhanced or alternative method of
organic farming. Biodynamic utilizes traditional farming techniques
and a prescribed list of biological or natural ‘preparations’, whilst
acknowledging and working with universal or cosmic forces that
are at play in the farming environment.
The biodynamic farming methods involve ‘preparations’ to enhance
soil development and the overall total farm and ecological system,
along with the Earth’s natural energy flows through moon and
planet cycles, and are practiced by many organic farmers.
The Australian Organic Ltd certification program regulates and
covers both biodynamic (BD) and organic certification under the
same standards.
ORGANIC PROCESSED FOODS
Certified organic processed foods must contain at least 95%
certified organic ingredients, with the remaining 5% ingredients
limited to being non GM (genetically modified), non irradiated and
not available organically (so they must still be natural or an allowed
non organic ingredient).
Minimal processing in the most natural way is the focus here.
Organic processed foods cannot containing unnatural or
synthesized dyes, colouring, flavouring or other additives.
COMMON ORGANIC CERTIFICATIONS/LABELS SEEN IN
AUSTRALIA
On the following page I have listed some of the labels to recognize
on products in Australia that have passed the certification programs
with Australian Organic Ltd.
australiancert-organics australian-organics ifoam
canada-organics leaf usda-organics
cosmos freshcare mafrakorea-organics