Industry welcomes government support on organic policy reform
The Australian federal government has expressed its willingness to explore domestic regulation for the organics industry, a move the industry has described as “significant”.
On 23 April 2026, the government tabled its long-awaited response to a proposed national organic standard bill. It supported the recommendation that the bill not be passed in its current form, and that the government works with stakeholders regarding the need for domestic regulation, including through a scoping exercise led by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
The private member’s bill was first tabled in November 2024, seeking to establish a national standard for organic and bio-dynamic produce as the mandatory domestic certification standard for businesses selling or importing organic products in Australia. This was then referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee (the Committee) for inquiry. The inquiry concluded with a report tabled in February 2025 and the government has now responded 14 months later.
The response was welcomed by Australian Organic Limited (AOL), which said the announcement was encouraging news for the organic sector and its consumers who have been calling for action on this issue for more than two decades.
It noted Australia’s current market lacks a clear system governing the use of the term “organic” – a gap that has long undermined industry integrity and consumer confidence.
“This is the clearest signal we have seen from the federal government in many years that it is prepared to engage with this critical issue,” said AOL chief executive officer Jackie Brian.
“Australia’s certified organic operators have been left to compete in a domestic market where the term ‘organic’ can too easily be claimed.”
AOL noted the current system creates an uneven playing field for certified organic operators, allowing companies to choose to label their goods as organic in Australia, without going through a certification process that verifies compliance with rigorous organic standards. This results in consumers being misled while creating a parallel trade barrier in key export markets for organic equivalency arrangements.
“Our industry has called for opportunities to reform the current system to build consumer confidence, reward businesses doing the right thing, and enable our industry to realise its full value, both here in Australia and overseas,” said Brian.
“What matters now is that government, industry and other stakeholders work through this process properly and deliver a model that is practical, proportionate and fit for purpose.”
AOL said the process had allowed the government to clearly review the issue in detail and constructively resulted in agreement with the principles of the policy, with early work commencing between AOL and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, reviewing potential models.
It said the next phase must now focus on identifying a practical and credible model that strengthens industry integrity, reduces greenwashing, improves consumer clarity, and better positions Australian organic businesses for long-term growth.
