By Jess Baker
A Stanthorpe horticulture producer is backing calls for mandatory certification marks on all organic products, after new research revealed consumers were seeking more honest labelling.
Family farm McMahon Bros Orchards has used organic certification mark the Australian Organic Limited “Bud” logo on its fruit for more than 20 years.
Fourth-generation producer at the farm Paul McMahon said The Bud logo gave a guarantee of trust to consumers and distributors.
“The Bud is the most-recognised certified organic symbol in the country, and I think it is the best way for our industry to communicate with our consumers that our products are accredited to the highest standard,” Mr McMahon said.
“Having The Bud on our produce means we have adhered to clear-cut guidelines from ACO Certification Limited and undergone regular audits to ensure our produce is up to standard.
“We are happy to meet these demands as we want to grow and deliver the best quality product possible to our customers.”
Research from this year’s Australian Organic Market Report revealed nearly one-third of organic consumers believed they had previously been misled by organic labelling.
Australian Organic Limited Chief Executive Officer Niki Ford said appropriately marking organic produce would drive consumer confidence and build trust.
“Organic consumers are seeking ‘trust marks’ before purchasing products, in fact, our research highlights 59 per cent of buyers are looking for certification logos when reading a products labelling,” Ms Ford said.
“Ensuring all organic products are certified and labelled with a mandatory logo will remove any confusion and help clearly signpost the organic products in the marketplace.
“Customers will be able to see these logos and instantly have peace of mind their purchase is an authentic, and certified, organic product.”
Ms Ford said research indicated more than 60 per cent of Australians recognised The Bud logo as a symbol of certified goods, compared to 73 per cent of “devoted organic shoppers”.
She said making The Bud logo mandatory for all organic products would unlock new markets.
“I believe common sense will prevail and a mandatory standard for use of the word ‘organic’ will be established as, although our industry is thriving, this is a step that is well overdue,” Ms Ford said.
“Australia is one of the only developed nations without a mandatory national standard. Our prosperous industry is competing on a world stage, so it’s imperative we have one symbol, The Bud, to resonate with consumers.”
