The development of the EU organic label was developed on the basis of the Danish organic food policy and the rules applicable to the Danish organic food label, which currently has the highest recognition rate among its users in the world, 98% and 90% respectively trust the label. The current EU organic label aims to signal to consumers that at least 95% of ingredients used in processed organic foods are of organic origin and that 5% is considered an acceptable error rate. [36] In 2014, 2567 certified organic farms were reported in Australia. These include 1707 primary producers, 719 processors and manufacturers, 141 wholesalers, retailers and other operators. [63] The livestock and poultry standards apply to animals used for meat, milk, eggs and other animal products sold, labelled or represented as organic. Here are some requirements: In the case of third-party certification, the operation or processing of agricultural products is certified to national or international organic standards by an accredited organic certification body. In order to certify a farm, the farmer must usually perform a number of new activities in addition to normal farms: A third category, which contains at least 70% organic ingredients, may be labeled as “made with organic ingredients,” but may not have the USDA organic seal. All other agricultural ingredients must be produced without excluded methods, including genetic modification, irradiation or application of synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge or biosolids. The non-agricultural ingredients used must be included in the national list. Organic ingredients must be listed in the list of ingredients (e.g., “Bio-dill” or with an asterisk for organic status). [17] In addition, products may also bear the logo of the certification body that approved them. [18] Organic certification requires that the certifying inspector be able to perform “traceability” and “mass balance” checks for all ingredients and products.
A traceback check confirms the presence of a record trace from the time of purchase or production to the final sale. A mass balance audit verifies that enough organic products and ingredients have been produced or purchased to match the quantity of product sold. Each ingredient and product must have an assigned lot number to ensure that an appropriate audit trail is in place. [17] The Administrator may grant temporary exemptions from the production and handling requirements of USDA organic regulations for the following reasons: natural disasters declared by the Secretary; damage caused by inclement weather or other business interruptions; or processes used to conduct research on biological production or manipulation. Organic certification as well as fair trade certification have the potential to contribute directly and indirectly to the achievement of some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which are the eight international development goals set after the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000, with all UN Member States committed to contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. With the growth of ethical consumption in developed countries, imports of environmentally friendly and socially certified products from the poor in developing countries have increased, which could contribute to the achievement of the MDGs. A study by Setboonsarng (2008) shows that organic certification contributes significantly to MDG1 (poverty and hunger) and MDG7 (environmental sustainability), including through higher prices and better access to markets. The study concludes that to expand its impact on poverty, this market-based development agenda needs public sector support to harmonize standards, build the capacity of certifiers, develop infrastructure and establish other innovative certification schemes. [7] Organic certification responds to the growing global demand for organic food. It aims to ensure quality, prevent fraud and promote trade. While such certification was not necessary in the early days of the organic movement, when smallholder farmers sold their produce directly at farmers` markets, as organic produce grew in popularity, more and more consumers are buying organic food through traditional channels such as supermarkets.