Issue 02
Winter 2020
Silver Linings COVID-19 & Its Unexpected Advantages - what brought the world to a standstill provided an unexpected opportunity for Australian organic producers.
See page 16
Organic - or is it? Breaking down the trust barrier for Australian consumers looking to invest in organic.
See page 4
Domestic Regulation in Our Sights Thanks to an industry push, organic domestic regulation is within reach. Dr Liza Oates shares her thoughts on the topic and her vision for 2020.
See page 6
Taiwan Opportunities Explore opportunities for Australian exporters with the announcement of the Australia-Taiwan equivalency agreement,
See page 10
Contents Organic - Or Is It?
Page 4
Domestic Regulation in Our Sights
Page 6
Australia-Taiwan Organic Equivalency
Page 8
Opportunities for Organics in Taiwan
Page 10
Domestic Regulation Industry Update
Page 12
Silver Linings: COVID-19 & Its Unexpected Advantages
Page 16
Certified Organic Suppliers Back Domestic Regulation
Page 24
10 Minutes with Bridget Carmady, ClĂŠmence Organics
Page 26
Visiting Organic Producers in Tasmania
Page 28
Hayes Virtual Wine Tasting Event
Page 32
The Year of the Plant: What Plants Can Teach Us
Page 35
Recipe: Fire Cider Tonic
Page 36
Keeping Backyard Chickens
Page 38
Recipe: Organic Beef Ramen
Page 40
AOL Announcements
Page 42
Awareness Month 2020
Page 44
AOL Membership
Page 46
Cover: Pure Vision Wines
austorganic.com Australian Organic Ltd (AOL) 18 Eton Street, Nundah Qld, 4012 Tel: 07 3350 5716
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A NOTE FROM THE CEO.
Contributors.
Welcome to the Winter Issue of Organic Connect
harriet.kendrick@austorganic.com
It is our second edition of Organic Connect and I am humbled by the level of engagement the industry has demonstrated for being involved in our quarterly publication. It’s been a difficult few months for all so we thank those involved in the collaboration of this edition. Although some would have you believe that the organic industry has unwittingly prospered as a result of COVID-19 (see my response article here), the organic industry over the past three months has, for the most part, demonstrated a robust response to increased consumer demand. More information on market trends and industry performance are highlighted by Nick Bez (pg.4) and Megan Woodward (pg. 16). Broad support for domestic regulation continues to gain momentum within the realms of the political environment. My update on the progress we are making in Canberra hopefully provides a clearer understanding of what this means for your business once implemented (pg. 12). We are enormously excited to welcome Dr Liza Oates into the AOL family, who will be a regular contributor to our organisation through science-based health information (pg. 6). Warren Beaumont also shares examples of how the industry is behind AOL’s number one priority for domestic regulation (pg. 24). Enough about what is inside this great publication, I’ll let you get on with reading it. Enjoy and thank you for supporting the Bud.
Niki Ford CEO, Australian Organic Ltd
EDITOR HARRIET KENDRICK
PUBLISHER AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC LTD (AOL)
CONTRIBUTORS NIKI FORD NICK BEZ DR LIZA OATES WARREN BEAUMONT MEGAN WOODWARD
BRIDGET CARMADY HARRIET KENDRICK RHONDA VOHLAND DR SARAH LANTZ
Australian Organic Connect e-magazine is available to all Australian Organic members and clients. For membership or advertising, please contact Shari Burke on the details below. ADVERTISING SHARI BURKE
shari.burke@austorganic.com Tel: 07 3350 5716
Australian Organic Limited (AOL) is the leading peak industry body representing Australian organic certifiers and certified operators. AOL is a not for profit member owned organisation that advocates on behalf of the certified organic industry by working with government and driving awareness. Established in 1987 and formerly Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), AOL has been the major force in ensuring organic standards remain robust and are in line with global export markets. AOL is the owner of Australia’s most recognised certification logo, The Bud. This logo is now recognised by more than 50% of shoppers and appears on nearly 33,000 products both domestically and internationally.
Organic - Or is it? BREAKING DOWN THE TRUST BARRIER FOR AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS. For over a decade, insights into how Australian consumers interact with, and participate in, the organic market have been commissioned by Australian Organic Limited (AOL) with seven studies conducted by market researchers Mobium Group (Mobium). Since the first snapshot of 1,000 grocery shoppers in 2009, the Australian market for organic products has evolved from a small niche into a vibrant and dynamic category that has manifested as a ‘mainstream’ choice for increasing numbers of households.
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AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY & UPDATES AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT
BY NICK BEZ As Research Director at Mobium Group, Nick brings expertise in consumer & market research, including over 30 years’ experience in the US, China & Australia, as well as 8 years in senior marketing roles at one of Australia’s largest retailers.
Specialty retailers have now been joined by mass market stores including the major supermarket chains in providing enhanced ranges of organic lines. Increasing availability of products and brands spanning a diverse variety of segments from milk to make-up, fruit to fashion and grains to gardening has driven significant year on year value growth for the organic sector over the outlook period. By 2019, the Australian Organic Market Report highlighted that both domestic and export markets of Australian organic products were buoyant with
a total value exceeding $A2.6 billion in that year. Underpinning increased uptake of organic in the local market has been the reduced incidence of a range of barriers that shoppers and consumers have viewed as impediments to increased purchasing. The ongoing tracking research has seen aspects such as availability of, and access to, organic product options fall over time which accords with increased numbers of products in the market and more places from which to purchase. For example, in the inaugural survey in 2009, 54% of respondents indicated “easier access/convenience of buying” as a barrier - a decade later the 2019 survey showed just 18% said it was a constraint to buying more. Value has been the primary barrier to increased uptake of organic since the inception of the survey program. In the first snapshot 82% of respondents said that the “price/value” of organic options was holding them back – in 2019 this was still an issue for 63%. While price premiums for organic options have generally fallen over the decade, and more lower entry priced options such as supermarket ‘private labels’ are becoming available, cost remains an entrenched shopper constraint. Trust is another major obstacle that remains persistent today. Shoppers indicating that “knowing you can trust it is organic” has dropped from 54% to 34% over the decade, however open-ended responses in the surveys show that for many there is still underlying scepticism about the veracity of organic claims. The fact that the use of the term organic on product labelling is currently not regulated in the Australian market compounds this situation. Especially as product options have proliferated - many products are certified organic, but others have no authentication. This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that a large proportion of Australian organic purchasers say that rely on on-pack product communication – “where the word ‘organic’ is written on the label or in its name” – as the primary mechanism to check what they generally are buying is organic. In 2019, just under 2/3rds of organic purchasers surveyed indicated that they rely on on-pack messaging - either solely, or in conjunction with other methods.
Over time, shoppers have become more aware of trust mechanisms such as certification marks. In 2019, six in ten shoppers surveyed said that they were aware that “certification marks (similar to the heart foundation tick) are used on labels as a guarantee a product is organic”. This proportion rises to 72% of those who had bought an organic product in the prior year. With this greater understanding there is a growing group of organic buyers who indicate that they check for a ‘certification logo on the label’ to verify a product’s authenticity. In 2019, 55% of respondents who purchase organic products indicated that they look for certification, up from 34% in the 2012 survey when the question was first asked. Furthermore, 65% of all shoppers said that a certification mark increases their trust in organic products who carry it, and 80% said if two products were the same, an organic certification mark on a product may have some influence on their purchase decision. These in-market findings show that the implementation of national standards regulating the use of the term organic in the Australian market can provide further surety to consumers, retailers and suppliers who underpin the industry. Removing shopper confusion about ‘if it really is organic’ can help ensure one historical barrier to purchase is avoided in the future.
Commissioned by Australian Organic Ltd, the Market Report provides an overview of the organic market in Australia including insights into the value of domestic & international markets, details surrounding organic operations, insights into organic consumers & more. Learn more here.
Domestic Regulation
BY DR LIZA OATES Dr Liza Oates is a lecturer in Food as Medicine at RMIT University. Her PhD investigated the ‘Health, Wellness and the Effects of Organic Diets’, and she is currently helping to develop the new Graduate Certificate in Organic Food and Nutrition at Southern Cross University.
IS IN OUR SIGHTS THANKS TO A CONCERTED INDUSTRY PUSH. Australian Organic this year welcomes the participation of one of the nation’s most authoritative experts in organics, Dr Liza Oates. Here she shares her thoughts on domestic regulation and her vision for 2020. The issue of trust when it comes to organic consumer purchasing has long been a sticking point for the Australian Organic Industry. As there is currently no mandatory requirement for certification of organic produce sold domestically in Australia, consumers are vulnerable to being misled when it comes to their purchases. I have been talking to organic consumers for over a decade, and know they are a passionate bunch who really do want to put their money where their mouths are. Unfortunately, the current environment allows suppliers to take advantage of the financial benefits associated with organic claims without due substantiation. Long overdue domestic regulation will protect consumers from being exploited by unscrupulous operators and will open up channels for new customers who previously may have been
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AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY & UPDATES AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT
wary of organic products when it comes to product authenticity. The 2017 consultation paper – A Proposed Roadmap for Australia’s Organic Industry – highlighted that industry divisions over several decades have resulted in the organic industry having a weakened reputation with stakeholders. To rectify this, a credible system of domestic standards is essential to building trust and the ongoing success of the industry. That does not mean compromising the fundamental values of health, ecology, fairness and care. Rather, it requires an agreement on priorities and a willingness to compromise and build alliances to achieve shared objectives. Australian Organic’s renewed focus and commitment to enforcing domestic regulation under CEO Niki Ford has been a positive step in the right direction. This year in addition to speaking about the importance of domestic regulation I will also be emphasizing the following points to media in order to continue important conversations around organics in the
hope of demystifying some commonly held, false assumptions:
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Consumers need to be aware that the annual ‘Dirty Dozen List’, which outlines what fruit and vegetables to avoid due to chemical residues, is not applicable in Australia.
which often results in better nutritional value. These consumers may also be inclined to waste less and use more of a plant such as its edible leaves which others might discard.
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The Dirty Dozen List, which is an annual US list released every March and tends to get widespread attention, is not applicable to Australia’s fruit and vegetables. Pesticide approvals and patterns of use are different in the US compared to Australia. Currently we do not have sufficient data to be able to produce a similar list and consumers need to be mindful that this list may be misleading.
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It is unrealistic to assume that people will eat a completely 100 per cent organic diet. It is also unrealistic to assume that there is no point in eating any organic produce if you are not consuming it with every mouthful. A study that we conducted at RMIT University asked people to consume 80 per cent organic food during the research phase. It found there was a 90 per cent reduction in pesticide residues after eating at least 80 per cent organic produce for seven days. Even this may be a high bar for many consumers, but every bit counts and reduces your overall exposure to food contaminants.
The assumption that people who purchase organic fruit and vegetables overall eat less of these items due to the cost is wrong. Because organic food is more expensive it’s often assumed that organic purchasers consume less fruit and vegetables. However, the evidence shows the opposite - organic consumers are more likely to eat more fruit and vegetables than non-organic consumers. The assumption that purchasing organic products is purely for the rich is wrong. Consumers of organic products come from all walks of life, and income is not a strong predictor of organic food consumption. Those in lower socio-economic positions still purchase organic products as they know how to factor it into their budgets. People on low incomes might attend farmers’ markets and the like to get better value. This also means that the produce is likely to be in season and grown locally
The assumption that you need to consume all organic products in order to reap any benefits is wrong.
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Organic consumers are not just interested in keeping chemicals off their plates; the decision to purchase organic produce is multi-factorial and value driven. It’s often assumed that people buy organic products purely to avoid ingesting chemicals. While this is a significant factor, organic consumers buy organic products for a variety of reasons. They are very aligned with issues such as the environment, fair trade, ethical and fair production processes, recycling processes and the amount of care producers put into their products. Their choice to buy organic is a carefully considered, multi-layered and evolved one.
AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY & UPDATES
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Australia -Taiwan BY WARREN BEAUMONT
Since the 1990s, Warren has written for media covering supermarkets, convenience, catering, pharmacy, and organic trade. A Market Access Advice on 21 February 2020 from the Department of Agriculture said it had concluded negotiations on the new bilateral Australia-Taiwan organic equivalency agreement. The move is expected to ensure Australia’s organic produce can continue to be exported to Taiwan when Taiwan’s new organic legislation comes into effect in 2020 and opens opportunities for more organic exports from Australia. Products produced before 23 January 2020 are accepted if they are accompanied with a valid organic produce certificate and any other export certification. The arrangement also establishes regulatory requirements for organic produce sent from Taiwan to Australia under the arrangement.
ORGANIC EQUIVALENCY BOOST FOR ORGANIC EXPORTS.
approved organic certification body under the Export Control (Organic Produce Certification) Orders. Products not included in the scope of the equivalence arrangement are agricultural products produced in the organic conversion period or processed products that use agricultural products produced during organic conversion period as raw material or an ingredient; imported agricultural product for further processing in Australia or repackaging, and exported to Taiwan; and bee products.
Premium wine is another opportunity; pictured is Angove Family Winemakers Organic 2018 Shiraz
Beef and lamb are key opportunities for Australia’s organic exporters; pictured are Dorper lambs at Silverwood Organics, Longreach.
Under the agreement’s organic certification and regulatory requirements for exports to Taiwan, the following products are included in the organic equivalence arrangement’s scope: • organic products that are produced or made in Australia • includes crops, livestock, aquatic plants and processed foods certified to the National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce, by an
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NEWS AND TRENDS AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT
Australian exporters must submit an application to the central competent authority (the Council of Agriculture, Executive, Taiwan) and obtain an approval number for labelling. Australian agricultural products are not allowed to use the Taiwan agricultural organic logo. For further information, see the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment website.
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Opportunities
Miramar shopping centre Taipei city, which has a department downstairs
FOR ORGANIC FOOD & BEVERAGES IN TAIWAN. BY WARREN BEAUMONT
Taiwan has one of the highest per capita rates of expenditure on food in North East Asia with a strong preference for convenient, healthy and premium food and beverages, including fresh and processed organic food, with grocers, hypermarkets and supermarkets importing more health and wellness products, according to Austrade and USDA reports. In 2017 Taiwan imported 7.38 percent of its total food products imports from Australia, worth US$440 million, led by beef, milk and cream, lamb and goat meat, wine, and pet food; while the market size for organic packaged food and beverages was US$26.7 million, the USDA Taiwan Exporter Guide and Global Organic Trade Guide 2017-18 said. Taiwan had a population of 23.5 million in 2017 and the five largest cities by population were Taipei (7.3 million), Taichung (2.8 m), Kaohsiung (2.8 m), Taoyuan (2.4m), and Tainan (1.8m). In Kantar Worldpanel’s 2019 Q2 Taiwan FMCG monitor, supermarkets held the leading position while Costco was growing in food (frozen food, health food, liquid dairy), driving the importance of hypermarkets (vs Q2 2018). However, in Kantar’s Q3 2019 FMCG monitor, the market maintained its 2.2 percent growth (vs Q3 2018), hypermarkets and supermarkets showed flat growth despite Costco maintaining its growth momentum, while e-commerce had the strongest retail growth, up 1.4 percent in food. In product categories, beverages including dairy had the strongest growth at 10.7 percent, vs packaged food at 1.25 percent and personal care at -0.6 percent. Retail sales in Taiwan’s supermarket sector were nearly US$6.5 billion in 2017, up five percent over 2016 and forecast to surpass US$7 billion in 2018, according to Euromonitor.
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NEWS AND TRENDS AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT
Certified organic produce at Carrefour Market, Taiwan
an international grocery
While the organic sector was relatively small (37th largest organic market globally in 2017) PX Mart pays farmers twice the regular price for some organic crops and Carrefour has introduced more ethical lines. In 2016-17, PX Mart was the number one supermarket chain in retail sales, followed by Wellcome (Dairy Farm), Simple Mart, JASONS Market Place (Dairy Farm) and Carrefour Market. Other groups are CitySuper and Taiwan Fresh Supermarket. Carrefour Market has expanded rapidly in recent years and in early 2020, its 2019 sales across its 69 hypermarkets and 68 supermarkets in Taiwan were EUR2.054 billion, up 3.2 percent at constant exchange rates with good growth momentum. A trend is smaller neighbourhood supermarkets led by PX Mart’s iMart and Carrefour Market’s 24-hour concept. In the hypermarket sector, key chains include Costco and RTMart. In convenience, 7-11, Family Mart, Hi-Life, and OK are the four major convenience store chains. In Kantar Worldpanel’s May 2019 retail channel consumption rankings, in the household supplies category, Carrefour Group and RT Mart Group were ranked two and three respectively, followed by personal care stores Watsons, POYA and COSMED. The USDA report advised that except for large exporting companies with representative offices in Taiwan, the appointment of an import agent is a critical decision for most exporters. Importers prefer to see product samples whenever possible and will often place small initial shipments to test the market response. Dairy Farm announced in early June that it will sell its 199 Wellcome supermarkets and 25 JASONS Market Place supermarkets to Carrefour, with settlement expected later this year following regulatory approval.
Costco Wholesale store, Taipei
Carrefour Hypermarket, Taipei
AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT NEWS AND TRENDS
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Industry Update
ON DOMESTIC REGULATION.
BY NIKI FORD CEO, AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC LTD While the world was ground to a halt through the spread of COVID-19 and its associated restrictions, many of life’s processes and daily outcomes slowed or simply stalled. Fortuitously for the organic industry, our work on the pathway to domestic regulation did not. In fact, our progress gained unexpected momentum. During March, I was very humbled to have time with our Agricultural Minister. Amidst numerous international and domestic challenges, trade logistic interruptions and state versus commonwealth dialogue, Minister Littleproud made time to discuss with me the very important matter of domestic organic regulation. With the initial promise of 30 minutes and the reality of 12 minutes instead, my pitch was tailored and to the point. What humbled me most was the Minister’s final response to the discussion, “Let’s just make this happen.” If only all discussions could be so effective. But this did not happen by way of chance. AOL has been lobbying government on this important issue since February 2019. With multiple trips to Canberra each month, AOL has taken a considered and measured approach to
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driving this level of engagement with key stakeholders. Since then, we have been working closely with the Minister’s Office, as well as Commonwealth and State Representatives across numerous departments, and key industry stakeholders to deliver information on industry insights, economic opportunities, and implementation strategies. Ongoing dialogue with Minister Littleproud’s advisors and office continues to build momentum on the regulatory front. AOL will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders throughout the next many months to ensure the value of mandatory regulation is briefed accordingly. AOL is committed to ensuring that all efforts and activities underpin the three key objectives as outlined in the brief provided to government: • • •
strengthen consumer confidence in organic labelling claims; increase credibility for businesses making organic claims; and advance international trade in organic products.
So, what does this all mean to you - the organic operator? Understanding the organic regulatory framework in Australia has been a full time occupation over the past 15 months. Each stage has provided many questions, plenty of discussion and an enormous amount of dialogue between a broad range of stakeholders both within and outside of Australia. After a recent discussion with an organic operator, I was tasked with the challenge of explaining what mandatory domestic regulation really means for certified operators and how will the implementation affect their business.
the Australian Government the ability to negotiate equivalency agreements with key trading nations such as USA and China. The Implementation of Domestic Regulation would provide...
$
Once equivalency was agreed between nations, certified organic producers and processors would be no longer be burdened by multiple annual audits as...
international access would be applied through the annual Australian DAWE audit conducted by your certification body.
With less time preparing for audits, operators could work strategically on advancing their business and would no longer be burdened economically for advancing through export markets.
What happens next? Over the coming weeks and months, AOL will continue to work closely with Minister Littleproud’s office and will also embark on a broader stakeholder engagement process. There is still much work to be completed, however to have reached this point of overall acceptance is more progress than the industry has seen on this matter since the launch of the National Organic Standard for Organic & Bio Dynamic Produce in 1992. It is important to note that Bud certified operators have provided the foundation for the work that will ultimately benefit all organic industry stakeholders and we celebrate your commitment to our organisation and the Bud. As the leading peak body for the organic industry, we are working for the long term future and we could not perform without the ongoing financial support provided under the Bud licensee agreement. The Bud is the most recognised certification mark in Australia, recognised by more than 50% of organic consumers. The Bud is rich in history and its future is bright.
AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY & UPDATES
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Silver Linings
BY MEGAN WOODWARD
COVID-19 & ITS UNEXPECTED ADVANTAGES.
Megan is a freelance writer and independent media consultant with nearly 20 years’ experience as a journalist and PR professional, passionate about rural and regional Australia.
Mother Nature has made life on the land difficult in recent years. Drought. Fire. Floods. There is little that Australian producers have not had to work through and figure out how to overcome.
“People are at home and they’ve got time to think about the choices they’re making when it comes to food and drinks, and it’s having an affect on their consumption and what they’re buying,” she said.
But with an organic industry now worth more than $2.6 billion dollars to Australia, it’s fair to say despite the battles, consumer demand and a love for the industry has willed many organic producers to stay in the game.
“We’d like to think that with wine choices they’re also exploring organic options and choosing to drink well and make a better choice.”
So it’s hard to believe that a virus that’s brought the globe to a standstill has delivered a silver lining to the organic sector in ways not fathomable just a few short months ago – and has also delivered Mother Nature a welcome reprieve and new respect. It’s a story being told by Australian Organic members and producers Australia-wide. Chief Winemaker and Managing Director of Cullen Wines in Western Australia’s Margaret River, Vanya Cullen says it makes sense that people are more attentive to what they’re consuming – wine included. “People are so much more interested in their health in the midst of this pandemic,” Vanya said.
With cellar door sales and the vineyard’s restaurant having to close due to social distancing requirements, all Cullen Wines sales have moved to online. “We are seeing a modest rise in new customers and again, that’s down to people being more interested in nature and wanting to hear the story behind our brand of wine,” Vanya Cullen said. “We’ve always intended to be part of a local global market and that’s being established strongly now, to the point where online sales are our lifeblood,” she said. “There’s a strong database that we’re building on and that’s thanks to loyal customers who share our story and philosophy on our behalf.” Story continues on the next page...
Vanya Cullen, Managing Director of Cullen Wines
“It’s certainly an awakening for nature. I couldn’t tell you if it’s because of COVID-19 or the bushfires or the drought – but people want to be healthy.” – Vanya Cullen, Cullen Wines, WA.
AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY & UPDATES
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“Many people probably have that time now to consider all parts of their lives and wellbeing and food is a big part of that.” – Simon Schulz, Schulz Organic Dairy, Victoria. It’s been an interesting few months for Simon Schulz. “I returned from a trip to America in mid-March and had to go into a two-week quarantine period when I got back,” he said. “While I was in lockdown, our organic dairy business was experiencing a huge decline in demand for wholesale products in to restaurants and cafes, so it was an incredibly nervous time for a while there, but then we started to see things turn around almost overnight.
are becoming more and more attuned to where their products come from. “People want to know that they are supporting Australian products and production, especially following droughts and bushfires,” he said. “Local consumers want to support the local farmer as opposed the big multinationals, and while the Australian organic industry is small, we are growing. “With most certified producers being from small scale farms, consumers are interested in that story and very much want to support that. Story continues on the next page...
“As government restrictions and new social distancing laws came into place, we saw this greater appetite for consuming good food at home, as opposed to being able to dine out.” With every day Australians eating at home more, Schulz Organic Dairy saw a surge in demand for their retail products. “We’ve seen smaller retail packs are being purchased at a higher rate than usual, which highlights that our small independent retailers are purchasing more frequently and in increasing volumes, and this really helped lessen the blow of the loss we experienced in the food service sector,” Simon Schulz said. “In saying that though, we’ve seen a lot of restaurants and cafes reassessing how they do business and innovating, reopening with home delivery or takeaway options, so on that front we’ve seen some clawing back of demand in the food service sector more recently too,” he said. “Overall it’s hard to know if the increased demand for, and interest in, organic dairy is due to COVID-19 or not, but I do think that as an industry we have a captive audience at the moment with so many people reconsidering how to look after themselves and stay healthy. “It really is an opportunity we’ve got as an industry to capitalise on as people consider all parts of their lives, with wellbeing and food being a big part of that.” With an appetite for organic products growing year on year, Simon Schulz said he believes that consumers
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Simon Schulz
Enviroganic Farm organic turkeys
Director of Enviroganic Farm, Sonya Dowling, and Board Member of Australian Organic Ltd, said the demand for organic chicken has reached dizzying heights over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had distributors from across Australia crying out for more chicken,” Sonya said. “It wasn’t just the panic buying factor, people wanted to have something healthy and filling in their freezers and the organic factor was something that was extra attractive, especially to those buyers wanting to make nourishing chicken soup,” Sonya said. “We were being asked to increase production but we’re already at 100% production. We ended up having to sell off a small number of frozen chickens we had stored in Sydney to try and meet the demand, but it still wasn’t enough,” she said. “Things have settled a little now, but I have to say it was a delight to see that level of demand and it made me so thankful to be in agriculture. I see Australians having a great respect for our industry on the other side of this.
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AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY & UPDATES AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT
“A lot of city folk aren’t here to live and breathe the drought and know the catastrophic conditions we’ve endured, so it’s so nice for the tables to turn for farmers, especially for those of us in the organic sector.”
Sonya & husband Angus Dowling
“Demand was already good for our chicken, but it has definitely increased since COVID-19.” – Sonya Dowling, Enviroganic Farm, NSW.
Fellow organic livestock producer Greg Youngberry, from Inglewood Farms in Queensland, saw the same level of demand for chicken. “We had a lot of new approaches from different suppliers who couldn’t keep their own supply up, but we got to the stage where we had to make a call and stop taking new customers,” Greg said. “We committed to servicing customers through our existing channels including Coles, Woolworths, IGA, and other independent organic stores,” he said. “Being a livestock product, we’re bound to 100 days from egg to plate so we simply couldn’t take a 200 or 300% increase in orders without some sort of notice for obvious reasons.” Inglewood Farms observed an interesting new phenomenon not usually the case during a ‘business as normal’ supply. “We found early on in the panic buying cycle that everything got sold,” Greg said. “We didn’t have enough livers, bones for broth, or breast seconds because of the huge increase in demand for mince,” he said. “For a month or two we saw that the whole bird got sold which is quite incredible and ultimately, it’s ideal from a sustainability point of view. We always strive to be as sustainable as possible but that is a choice that doesn’t always increase profit, but this year, it definitely did.”
“Once people start exposing themselves to good quality organic products, they do become a return customer.” – Greg Youngberry, Inglewood Farms, Queensland. Greg said one downside of the sale of the whole bird is that it is still difficult to meet demand for bone broth. “I guess that’s a double-edged sword as we always endeavour to be able to meet the market on products, however I think that also highlights a silver lining of this situation, and that is that people are striving for better food sources to have stocked in the pantry,” he said. “I believe that on the other side of this pandemic, we’ll have gained new customers that have found our product through panic buying but then returned because they’re impressed by the quality of our chicken. “That return custom will be supported by the fact that people are starting to take health and wellness more seriously because of COVID-19. We’re seeing a permanent uplift with people making the choice to look at the food they put in to their bodies, so it’s a great time to be an organic producer in Australia I’d say – especially as we move closer to domestic regulation.” Story continues on the next page...
The Hobbs Family - Katrina, Adrian & their 5 children Gregory & Andrew Youngberry, son & father of Hobbs-Youngberry Farms (Inglewood Farms)
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Amid an unprecedented demand for product in 2020, domestic regulation remains a key focus for organic producers. “The fact that we still don’t have domestic regulation to protect us from the shonky producer that says his product is organic but has no validation isn’t good enough to be perfectly frank,” Simon Schulz from Schulz Organic Dairy said. “Australia really needs domestic regulation to protect our industry and it remains concerning that we’re one of the only countries that doesn’t have this regulation in place,” he said. “With a pandemic upon us, people have time to reassess their lifestyle, their health and where their food comes from – the time to focus on the difference between organic and non-organic and that makes it our time as an industry to put these unique selling points in front of policy makers and ensure regulation is endorsed sooner rather than later.” It is a sentiment echoed by Sonya Dowling from Enviroganic Farm. “I definitely think that on the other side of this COVID-19 active lockdown, we’ll see people have more appreciation of what we do, and hopefully a better understanding – or at least interest – in what goes in to a certified organic product,” Sonya said. “Domestic regulation is moving in the right direction and a lot of our (Australian Organic) members have been advocating for this for a long time. To finally be regulated will be incredible for our industry.”
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Certified Organic BY WARREN BEAUMONT
SUPPLIERS BACK DOMESTIC ORGANIC REGULATION BY LAW.
The importance of domestic regulation of the use of the word organic in Australia’s organic market and its enforcement by law is a major issue in Australia’s $1.93 billion domestic organic product market (Australian Organic Market Report 2018), where sales grew by 15 per cent in 2018 over 2017.
Coolum, Sunshine Coast-based planet organic supplies a large range of organic tea, coffee, herbs and spices, supplements, and other products.
Producers and suppliers of certified organic products are concerned about the lack of state or federal legislation for the sale of products in the domestic market governing the use of the word organic without organic certification.
Its sales and marketing manager Brian Condon said that having organic certification from a recognised body such as Australian Certified Organic is highly important.
A survey of five health food/organic stores, two major supermarkets and one upmarket grocer in the Greater Sydney region in May revealed that five stores stocked food branded ‘organic’ without having organic certification. See Fig. 1 - Breads such as this brand labelled Organic Kamut - which is not certified organic - have been among the worst offenders in recent years.
See Fig. 2 - The planet organic certified organic tea range at a health food store.
“ACO certification (by ACO Certification Ltd) gives the consumer peace of mind knowing that suppliers have to show a trail of organic integrity right back to the source of the ingredient. Audits take place twice a year to ensure that this takes place,” Mr Condon said. “For a company to claim that they are self-certified as organic is simply not acceptable.” Managing director of Hunter Valley-based Tamburlaine Wines Mark Davidson said that the organic certification
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Mark Davidson, Managing Director of Tamburlaine Wines 24
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process is highly regulated and allows companies to use the word organic, while there have been problems including when the word organic is greenwashed. He said that certified organic companies in Australia have worked very hard each year to maintain and improve their products. “Organic certification is strictly managed, certified and audited,” Mr Davidson said. “The only way that a falsely labelled product can be stopped is for producers, brands, and consumer/industry organisations to take these companies to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, who has to take it to court. “There has to be regulation and federal and state legislation. In our sophisticated market, organic certification should not allow the marketing of organic products that are not certified as organic – the law should not allow it.” Mr Davidson added that another reason that organic should be legally enforced in Australia is that some countries may have issues in their organic equivalency agreements with Australia. This can affect exports of agricultural products including wines labelled ‘organic in-conversion’.
that Barambah Organics, as certified organic producers, believe that the consumer has made a commitment to the word organic. “We believe that organic should be truthful and not have any grey areas – it is either organic or it is not,” Ms Campbell said. Barambah Organics agrees with enforcement of organic by national and state legislation due to false labelling of food as organic, such as putting the word organic on packaging and in promotions for products not certified organic, Ms Campbell added. “It’s not a level playing field when companies can sell products with harmful chemicals and synthetic ingredients with products labelled organic,” she said. “They should not be allowed to falsely use the word organic.” There appear to be some grey areas in the Australian Consumer Law, which allows the advertising of ‘organic’ products without these being certified organic, but companies have to substantiate these claims. If you have a query about a brand or product, or would like to report the misuse of a certification mark or organic wording on a product, send Australian Organic an email at: productqueries@austorganic.com
At Queensland organic milk, yoghurt and cheese producer Barambah Organics, Jane Campbell said
Barambah Organic’s pin-up girl
Ian & Jane Campbell of Barambah Organics at the 2019 Grand Dairy Awards AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT NEWS AND TRENDS
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10 Minutes With BRIDGET CARMADY. Q. Tell us a bit about Clémence Organics. Clémence Organics was created by myself, Naturopath Bridget Carmady (BNat, BHSc Hons). It was my experience in clinical practice and university research, as well as my own personal health journey, which led me to formulating functional skin care made from certified organic ingredients. All Clémence Organics products are based on naturopathic formulations, designed to support the health of the skin and stimulate the body’s innate healing response. Ingredients are carefully chosen based on traditional use and current research studies. Products are designed not only to be highly effective for a range of skin conditions, but also beautiful to use. This feedback is relayed by customers who regularly review products with 5 stars, and clientele consistently repeat purchasing. Education is key to the Clémence brand, with myself frequently asked to contribute to articles on skincare and health. A fortnightly blog is also made available on the website, designed to educate customers on the benefits of certified organic skincare. The environment is important to the Clémence brand with packaging carefully chosen to reduce impact, minimising our use of plastic and maximising more easily recycled materials (aluminium and glass). Since launching in 2016, Clémence has won 22 international
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We caught up with Bridget Carmady, founder of Clémence Organics, to learn more about her certified organic beauty line.
beauty awards, with 12 of 16 SKUs taking out multiple honours. It is regularly featured across social media and traditional media outlets as a stand-out Australian organic skincare brand. The mission of Clémence Organics is to make a difference to beauty, by cherishing health and the health of the environment.
Q. Why did Clémence Organics choose to become certified organic? As a degree qualified naturopath, I have always been passionate about natural but effective ways to help people improve their health. I started my career in complementary medicine research, before running a naturopathic clinic, where I used nutrition, supplements, herbal medicine and lifestyle changes to remedy people’s health issues. In my clinic, I started noticing that many of my clients had skincare concerns. For some it was ageing skin, for others, sensitivity, acne, eczema or rosacea. I too had skin challenges, having experienced acne in my teens, scarring in my twenties and signs of ageing in my thirties. However, my clients and I were faced with a lack of skincare products on the market that were gentle and made from certified organic ingredients but still able to deliver powerful results and the luxurious experience of conventional high-end skincare. So, I decided to develop my own, and Clémence Organics was born.
I started off experimenting with blends, and noticed a real change in my skin. As word of mouth grew, clients came to me requesting individualised skincare formulations. A trip to southern France in 2015 cemented my resolve. I visited several well-known natural skincare companies, and realised that I offered something unique for those with an appreciation for luxury, authentic organic skincare, that truly alleviated their skincare concerns. The product of over a decade of knowledge and experience, Clémence Organics isn’t about marketing hype or ingredients that claim to improve your skin but instead bombard it with harmful chemicals. It’s about using naturopathic principles to create nourishing, nontoxic skincare, plus a commitment to the planet’s health, through recyclable packaging and ingredients which are not harmful to the environment. On a personal note, I lost both my father and sister to cancer in the period of 2009 – 2016. Their stories fortified in me a passion for nurturing health and reducing cancer risk wherever possible. The role that skincare plays in health may seem small and insignificant for some, but when the body absorbs around 80% of what we put on it, I don’t feel we can take it too lightly. I know for me, having full confidence in what I put on my skin (and therefore in my body) makes me feel that I have at least taken control of that aspect of my health.
to be ‘natural’ and ‘organic’, it’s very easy to be confused and think you are paying for something genuinely organic, when it’s most likely not. There is a very big difference between certified organic skincare and conventional skincare. The main difference is the quality of the ingredients. This means that what you put on your skin is so much more beneficial for its health, never mind better for the health of your body and the environment. What makes it better for your skin? Certified organic botanicals contain a higher percentage of antioxidants, essential to fight free radical damage which can cause fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. A higher percentage of vitamins and minerals have also been found in organic botanicals, the most relevant to skin being vitamins A, C and E. Almost as equally important is what’s NOT in certified organic skincare. Chemicals, nasty preservatives and artificial fragrances are strictly forbidden, meaning you are getting a 100% natural and pure plant-based product. You’re basically feeding your skin from the outside. For people with skin sensitivities and skin conditions, there is no better option.
I believe you should expect more from what you put on your skin, and that it’s time to evolve to healthy, yet powerfully effective skincare.
Our customers repeatedly tell us that once they’ve tried our products, there is no turning back. They instantly realise the difference between certified organic and conventional, and their skin and health is so much better for it.
Q. What’s the difference between certified organic and conventional skincare?
Find out more about Clémence Organics on their website: www.clemenceorganics.com
Being certified organic creates clarity in a very crowded marketplace. When there are so many brands claiming
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Visiting ORGANIC PRODUCERS IN TASMANIA. In February this year, just prior to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, Australian Organic CEO Niki Ford made her way to Tasmania to meet with some of our members and learn more about their certified organic businesses. Despite the adverse climatic seasons experienced by mainland states in late 2019 / early 2020, Tasmania’s agricultural industry has continued to grow annually and is now valued at more than AUD$1.6 billion.
Black Angus Cattle on Kelty Farm
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REX WILLIAMS, KELTY FARM Rex Williams is President of Tasmanian OrganicDynamic Producers Inc. (TOP) and manager of his own organic operation - Kelty Farm. Niki sat down with Rex to chat over coffee at his farm property in Woodbridge, 40km south of Hobart. Overlooking Bruny Island, the farm has rich soils and abundant annual rainfalls – making it ideally situated for producing premium organic beef, pork and a variety of fruit. Rex has been an organic producer for 20 years, with Black Angus cattle making up a large part of his primary production. Angus makes up the majority of beef cattle raised in Tasmania, with large demand from overseas markets for Tasmanian brands. On Kelty Farm, Rex’s Black Angus cattle graze on lush Channel pastures and are supplemented with the farm’s own organic hay in the winter. Rex also breeds and rears organic Berkshire and Wessex saddleback pigs – working with Willie Smith’s, an organic cider orchard and distillery in Huon Valley, to utilise and recycle excess outputs into organic pig feed (namely apple fibres). The pigs are also fed on organic grain, organic dairy and Kelty Farm’s own apples. Rex commented that the pigs take around 12 months to grow to full size organically, whereas
conventional pigs can reach optimum size in just 16 weeks. For this reason, Rex’s pigs make up a small part of his farm operation, providing small goods to local retailers. Rex also grows organic Gala, Fuji and Pink Lady apples in his orchard, with many of his apples found in Woolworths Macro Organic ranges. The cooler European climate provides perfect growing conditions for the fruit and Tasmania is often known as “prime apple growing country.” Established around 30 years ago as an organic certifying body in Tasmania, TOP clients were merged into the certification body Australian Certified Organic Pty Ltd in April 2015, giving them access to continue their organic certification. The merger aimed to both support, strengthen and offer greater opportunities for organic producers in Tasmania, as well as supporting producers wanting to make the switch to organic. From then, TOP no longer provided certification services but continued to support the organic industry in the state. Today, TOP is sadly coming to an end. After over 30 years of supporting the industry in Tasmania, TOP will most certainly not be forgotten.
“Our customers can be assured that not only are they receiving a quality product, but one that is pure and that has kept the depletion of the Earth’s resources to a minimum.” - Rex Williams, Kelty Farm.
Organic saddleback pigs enjoying the mud
Rex Williams in his apple orchard
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TASMANIAN AGRICULTURAL MINISTER’S OFFICE & AGRIGROWTH TASMANIA Hopping back into the city, Niki visited the Tasmanian Agricultural Minister’s office and met with Vanessa Pinto, Chief of Staff for the Hon. Guy Barnett MP, and Jo Crisp, Manager of Agricultural Development and Policy at Agrigrowth Tasmania. Niki reported that there was, “an encouraging and positive discussion around the value of the organic industry in Tasmania,” with both staff members showing support for Australian Organic’s vision of Domestic Regulation for 2020 – highlighting that smaller growers would also need to be considered in any future discussions.
the state recent extending its Moratorium (i.e. a total legal ban of GMO) for a further ten years. This provides a beneficial and unique selling point for Tasmanian growers, especially within the organic export markets. The Tasmanian Government has also developed the Organics Industry Development grant – a $230,000 grant to assist farmers, producers and agri-food businesses interested in transitioning to organic production methods and market development. This State Government-based grant is the only one of its kind in Australia, and further solidifies the Tasmanian Government’s support for organic growers in the region.
Tasmania remains free of GMO crop production with
ALEXANDRA MITCHELL, AGRIGROWTH TASMANIA Niki caught up with Alexandra Mitchell, Agricultural Analyst at Agrigrowth Tasmania (DPIPWE), over a coffee to talk about the organic industry and provide an update surrounding Australian Organic’s activities. They were also able to discuss how the organic industry can be better supported in Australia, including the potential for Australian Organic to host a forum surrounding the veterinary care update. Alex commented that Australian Organic’s holistic approach was ‘refreshing’. Alexandra has had a long-standing career in agriculture and forestry since graduating from University in 1992. She worked with CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products for several years, specialising in population and molecular genetics – studying native Australian
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species and the commercialisation of seeds for forestry use. She then moved to the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture in 2001 to work in industry development programs, including grants for education and training. Alex joined the DPIPWE in 2005 as a Policy Analyst for the primary industries sector, which included work surround organic industry policy and development of the first domestic organic and biodynamic Standard with Standards Australia (AS 6000). Today, Alex works as an Agricultural Analyst within DPIPWE’S AgriGrowth Tasmania Division, providing expertise in agricultural and rural sectors.
BIOFARMS TASMANIA Biofarms Tasmania is owned and run by the Benson brothers – Mark, Chris and David - who welcomed Niki to a tour of their farm and their operation. Located near the small village of Forth, just outside of Devonport, Biofarms Tasmania produces a variety of certified organic produce suitable to the cooler Tasmanian climate, including potatoes, carrots, onions, pumpkin and brassicas. Alongside conventional non-organic produce, Biofarms Tasmania produces a large number of certified organic products within their range, with some still in-conversion. The majority of their produce goes to the mainland, supplying retailers and distributors. Early this year, Biofarms Tasmania became a beneficiary of the $30 million Woolworths Organic Growth Fund established in partnership with Heritage Bank to help Australian farmers meet the growing consumer demand for organic fruit and vegetables. The Benson’s said they will use the $500,000 interest-free loan to improve productivity and efficiency on their 300acre farm by purchasing new machinery and equipment, and upgrade their current irrigation system to support their organic operation. The funds will also be put towards new packaging equipment which will help to provide sustainable packaging – a large investment for most organic producers and operators. Holistically, the Bensons aim to use the funds to help facilitate the increase in demand for certified organic product as well as the ability to implement more environmentally-friendly production methods. Biofarms Australia expect to begin supplying Woolworths with organic vegetables from spring 2020.
Certified organic broccoli
The Benson Brothers at Biofarms Tasmania
A Biofarms Tasmania crate full of fresh produce
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Hayes Family Wines
VIRTUAL WINE TASTING EVENT. FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020 BY HARRIET KENDRICK Hosted by Australian Organic, Hayes Family Wines organised its first organic virtual wine tasting event on Friday 15th May. The event presented attendees with the opportunity to learn more about organic wines, meet other wine enthusiasts and provided the chance to sample and sip 7 sumptuous certified organic wines just like they would at the cellar door. Australian Organic’s Chief Technical Officer, Owen Gwilliam, provided an introduction to the event with a brief insight into the organic certification process. In order to obtain certification, vineyards are required to go through a rigorous compliance process aligned with a set of standards, such as the Australian Certified Organic Standard (ACOS), along with annual audits to ensure these standards are maintained. It can take several years for a vineyard to become fully certified; a long-term financial and operational commitment that many vineyards such as Hayes Family Wines have invested in, and will continue to invest in to retain certification. The reigns were then handed over to Hayes Family Wines owner Brett Hayes and winemaker Andrew Seppelt, who welcomed over 30 participants, all attending from the comfort of their own homes via Zoom. Prior to the event, attendees were sent a package consisting of 7 certified organic wine samples with a place-card, information sheet and vineyard map for each, alongside an order form for the full bottles. The 7 organic wines were delivered in individual 50ml glass bottles, labelled and ready for sampling. Seppelt commented he had decanted over 4,000 of these small sample bottles over dry ice (to prevent oxidisation) just for these virtual events – a task that we’re sure he was happy to put behind him! All of the evening’s samples
were taken from their certified organic Estate Vineyard in Stone Well, which became fully certified in 2020 - though they have been farming organically for many years. A multi-generational, family owned and operated business, Hayes’ vineyards are ideally located in the Barossa Valley. The winemakers prides themselves on using sustainable practices to curate their wines and farm all of their vineyards using organic and biodynamic techniques. Hayes firmly believe that by working with the Barossa’s hero varieties, they are able to craft unique, authentic wines while promoting an approach that is better for their vineyards and the wider environment. The sampling began with the 2019 Rouge which was fermented in a 6ft tall ceramic egg for 6 months, and then removed and left to settle for a further 5-6 months. Seppelt commented that the process of fermenting wine in ceramic eggs is thought to be over 8,000 years old, with remnants of these eggs found in Georgia and Eastern Europe. No Sulphur was added during this process, resulting in a fresher, purer wine with a shorter recommended shelf life of around 12-18 months. Seppelt advised that this particular variety produced just 350 bottles and was not curated for business purposes. The 2017 / 2018 / 2019 Field Blend GSM were then tasted for their vintage comparisons. A combination of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro, the Field Blend GSM is a co-fermented wine – determined by the field and therefore the winemakers have no choice in the resulting style of the wine.
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Virtual event at-home setup
Each Field Blend GSM is unique to that particular field and particular vintage. For this reason, few field blends exist in Australia. Comparing the vintages provided insight into the different environmental and climatic changes throughout those years. The 2017 vintage was picked in April after a reasonably wet year, while the 2019 was picked after a very low crop in a drought year where the Barossa grape crops were down around 40-50%, lending to its rich intensity in flavor. These were followed by a 2019 Estate Block 2 Grenache, 2019 Estate Block 3 Mataro and a 2018 Estate Block 1 Shiraz – all proving to have unique flavours and rousing a range of different preferences from the event’s attendees. Seppelt and Hayes commented that the most challenging aspects of managing a certified organic vineyard is controlling weeds and pests. Since synthetic herbicides and pesticides are prohibited, natural methods are used instead.
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For example, native insectary plants have been introduced to encourage beneficial native insects, while chickens, Indian Runner ducks and sheep help to manage pests and weeds. Hayes also choose not to net their vineyards to allow birds from local bushland to feast on unwanted bugs and pests and also promote raptors such as eagles and hawks - which in-turn help to keep other ‘pest’ birds at bay. Despite the sheep helping to clear the weeds in the winter, there is still a lot of manual work involved in controlling unwanted plants. During drought periods, weeds compete with the vines for water, so it is imperative that they are controlled and managed in the most natural way possible. Despite the extra work, both Brett Hayes and Andrew Seppelt agreed that the benefits of producing a certified organic wine, superior in taste and quality, more than outweigh the additional labour. To learn more about Hayes Family Wines and to sample some of their certified organic wines, visit their website hayesfamilywines.com
The Year of the P lant WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM OUR LEAFY GREEN FRIENDS.
The plant kingdom evolved long before humans came along and although they cannot speak, they have long been educators to us. With the world facing challenging and unprecedented times, it’s easy to forget the simple things in life. But what does a plant know about human life? Life has seasons. Plants know that the seasons come and go, and they adapt as required; understanding when to put all of their energy into growth, and when to quietly retreat and gather energy for the next season. Deciduous trees don’t lament their falling leaves, they willing relinquish them to the ground, knowing their will flourish again with new growth in spring. Let go of things that no longer serve you, to make way for new opportunities. It’s great to flourish and flower, but don’t burn yourself out. Trees and plants don’t flower all year, but rather in seasonal bursts or when conditions are favourable. They understand that it takes a lot of energy to flower, and too much flowering will take valuable energy away from being strong and resilient. Pace yourself, and be patient.
BY RHONDA VOHLAND
Rhonda has been with Australian Organic as a Finance and Administration Manager for nearly 13 years and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to our history, our members as well as past and current industry issues. Life has stages, don’t rush them or wish them away. A tree sapling cannot support a heavy branch, nor can it fruit before it grows leaves. There’s a process, and it takes time. Try not to skip ahead of the process, as you may miss a vital step for building your strength along the way. Don’t live beyond your means. Life’s resources are not unlimited. Plants produce new leaves according to the availability of resources and seasons. Plants know that they cannot keep every leaf ever grown, and that there is a limit to what their roots can support. They don’t produce more leaves than they can sustainably feed, as they understand that the health of the whole plant will suffer. Be sustainable about your growth, and learn to how to gauge when your roots are at capacity. Never stop growing and adapting. When a bigger leaf overshadows you, grow sideways. As the sun’s trajectory changes through the seasons, bend and move to catch the most light. Don’t stay where you are overshadowed, find a new path to the light and follow it.
Don’t get too set in your ways. Trees reach for the skies with their tall, strong trunks, but at the same time they understand the importance of being limber enough for when the storms come. Stand tall and be proud, and reach for the skies but don’t forget to be flexible. It is better to sway in the breeze than to be too rigid and get uprooted.
You don’t have to compete or be the best to be happy. Orchids spend all year building up the energy to flower and then put everything into sending up one long gorgeous flower spike that is just breathtaking. Further over on a tree trunk, a stunning staghorn is quietly, slowly, growing another frond, knowing it will never flower. They are both beautiful and happy plants, content to be the way they were created.
Be yourself. Cacti don’t grow in the ocean and seaweed doesn’t grow in the desert. But do the cacti and seaweed let it get them down? They know that not every situation and condition is going to suit them, and that finding where you flourish is the key to a longer life.
These are just some of the lessons we can learn from plants, but there are so many more. The next time you go for a walk through your local park, take a moment to appreciate the beauty and diversity of our flora, and the silent lessons it provides.
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Simple Recipe
FIRE CIDER TONIC POTION. BY DR SARAH LANTZ It’s no secret that I believe in the power of a good witches’ brew and there is no better time to make Fire Cider than now, when we have both the immune boosting ingredients in season and we are afforded the time and space begin some gut-enhancing, home grown fermentation projects. And fire-cider really is the ultimate body burn. I came across this recipe years ago at a women’s gathering in the US, and while it initially appeared to be pulled directly from one of Grimm’s fairy tales, it’s probably the most sought-after tonic I use in our home, and share with our community. There are many stories of the magic this tonic weaves in their lives, from soothing and relieving arthritic fingers through to warding off coughs, flus, colds and the dreaded lurgy. Though not imparted with any actual mystical powers, although I’m definitely open to this idea, fire cider truly is magical in its herbal reverence, which combines a good vinegar with nature’s superheroes – ginger and turmeric root, garlic, horse radish, chili, jalapeños, herbs and spices, and citrus. While this tonic is revered by herbalists for its ability to help ward off winter colds and coughs, it can be used all year round and is easy to incorporate into your daily diet to help boost the immune system, stimulate digestion and warm the body. Fire Cider can take weeks and even months to imbue and mature, so start a batch now. We have a continuous brew on our counter top at home and remove small amounts of the prized liquid whenever we need it, making sure to top it back up from time to time. The preparation of this potion is also not an exact science, if you’re missing some of the ingredients listed below, not to worry, it’s adaptable and easy to switch out some of the seasonings and herbs with other ones. This means you can get creative with your cider. There are plenty of herbs and spices that can be thrown in for added kick and taste.
INGREDIENTS (Makes a 4-litre Brew) 1/2 cup ginger root
1/2 cup horseradish root or dried root (no worries if you can’t get this)
1/2 cup turmeric root
1 onion
1/4 cup garlic
6 jalapeño peppers (or any chilies)
2 lemons or limes
Apple cider vinegar (or kombucha vinegar - kombucha that you’ve left too long and has turned to vinegar)- to fill the jar
1/2 cup turmeric root
Optional additions: Several sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme, pepper corns, chili powder, raw honey, galangal, cinnamon stick, black pepper, cats claw or gota kola herbs.
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METHOD Into a good-sized jar, around 4 litres, chop, dice or grate the ginger, horseradish, onion, garlic, jalapeños and lemons. Pack them down lightly. Use a fermenting weight to hold down the veggies/ roots or place heavy roots at the top so that they will weigh down the herbs and jalapeños, which float.
There are many ways to ingest a Fire Cider brew – in tiny sips or as a flaming slam-dunk shot. The Fire Cider can also be added to veggie juices, or you could throw in some tomato juice, olives and pickles for a non-alcoholic, health-boosting Bloody Mary. You can also splash your Fire Cider in fried rice or drizzle it on a salad with a good olive oil.
Pour a generous amount of kombucha vinegar or apple cider vinegar (or a combination) over the roots, herbs and vegetables. You want everything to stay under the liquid to prevent spoilage from exposure to the air. Keep in mind that some of the roots will expand a little, so top it up well with your vinegar. If you’re using a metal lid, line it with wax paper so that the vinegar doesn’t corrode it, then put the lid on.
In the winter, we add our Fire Cider into healing teas and breathe in the steam as you sip to relieve congestion. For our kids, we add a touch of Fire Cider to freshly-pressed juices and salad dressings and teas, with a touch of honey for sweetness.
Place out of direct sunlight for weeks, or months. Give it a shake or stir occasionally. When your cider is ready, shake well and strain the roots and veggies using a sieve. You can store your cider in the fridge for months.
You can use the strained veggies in stir-fry or spring rolls or blend them into a marinade or finishing sauce to be used in dips, salsas or conserves. It’s a zerowaste cycle.
Notes Please don’t waste the delicious fermented veggies.
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Cooped up at Home
KEEPING BACKYARD CHICKENS.
Internationally, backyard chickens are having a wellearned time in the limelight and championing the cause for self-sufficiency. Along with an increase in alcohol sales in Australia, suddenly people have also decided that raising backyard chickens is also cool, and potentially necessary when faced with the question about the availability of staple items at grocery stores. Some parts of Australia have seen egg layer sales increase by 30%, a welcome boom for the industry who have continued to fly the flag for chicken rights and quality eggs over the years. It’s actually quite easy to raise chickens, they can be a rewarding addition to the family, and the health benefits are plentiful. With a small coop and a bit of fenced-in yard, a chicken is content and will lay between one and two eggs per day, about as many eggs as one person can eat.
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BY DR SARAH LANTZ
Even when given free range, chickens do not stray far from their homes. They are essentially homebodies, and love nothing better than an evening at home with a bit of company, gossip from around the laying community, and a few snacks. Being omnivores, chickens aren’t too picky about what they eat - bugs, snails, worms, grasses and leaves are just fine. They need a small amount of feed, usually a mixture of grain and legumes, but the rest of the time they are fabulous salvagers of scraps and compost. For this reason, there should be no organic food waste heading for landfill because they are simply organic waste machines. The eggs produced from healthy, chickens can be some of the most nutrient-dense foods around. They have significant amounts of vitamin E, B12, carotene, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
Our feathered friends can also help minimise labour in the garden. Moving a chicken tractor, or scratch fence around the yard, the birds will first target broad-leaved weeds and insects, then clean up the lawn even as they fertilise it. They turn the soil, put manure in it, turn all the green stuff through it, and what you end up with given time is nutrient-rich soil and a harmonious garden ecosystem– with hardly any effort from yourself. Chickens can also make good pets, generally being quite loyal, and, in my experience, chickens are funny, with quirky habits and affectionate personalities as distinct as any other family pets. They are also no dirtier than budgies, much less noisy, and immensely more productive. What’s not to love about that?
Dr Sarah Lantz is a writer, author, mother and advocate for healthy living and fermentation. She has a background in nutrition, public and environmental health and specializes in the area of child and youth health and wellbeing – conducting research at the University of Queensland surrounding Children’s Environmental Health.
As for educational benefits, chickens make excellent teaching aids. Not only can you whip up a delightful quiche with freshly-laid eggs during cooking class, but you can calculate the number of eggs in maths (‘if five hens each laid an egg a day, how many eggs would you have in a week?’). There are also some cracking science experiments that involve blowing up eggs, games you can play with eggs, and in English lessons, chickens can certainly inspire creative writing. They’re also great for teaching the kids about responsibility, care for animals, and life and death – all of that big, important stuff. Also, if every Australian household or street had hens, just imagine the decline in battery hens, industrial chicken conditions and poor-quality eggs. Take heed though – ensure your chickens are secure. Chooks can be vulnerable to domestic dogs, snakes, hawks and foxes, while eggs are attractive to snakes and goannas. It’s important to check your council regulations in your area before you set up your coop and purchase your flock. Generally, Councils will allow you to keep chickens, and the rules are quite common-sense.
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Simple Recipe
CLEAVER’S ORGANIC BEEF RAMEN
This delicious beef ramen is the perfect winter warmer. With beef bone broth at its base, this ramen is layered with ginger, garlic, chillies, eggs and Cleaver’s organic striploin steak - a soul-soothing, body warming combination suitable for any winter’s evening.
INGREDIENTS (Makes 2-4 servings) 400g Cleaver’s Organic Striploin Steak
FOR THE BROTH 500ml beef bone broth
250ml water
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 garlic cloves
4cm piece of ginger - sliced
1/4 cup miso paste
2 star anise
FOR THE RAMEN 4 eggs
270g organic ramen noodles
1 bunch baby pak choy
150g snow peas
200g shitake mushrooms
FINISHING TOUCHES Sliced red chili
Sriracha
Toasted sesame seeds
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COMMUNITY AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CONNECT
Fresh coriander
METHOD
1. In a medium saucepan add beef broth, 1/4 cup soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger and star anise. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 15mins. Strain into bowl and keep warm. 2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook eggs for 6mins, remove with a slotted spoon straight into ice water and once cool enough to handle peel eggs and cut into halves. 3. In a frying pan place the Cleavers Striploin steaks into a hot pan and season with salt. Once cooked to required done-ness, rest steak ready to carve when other ingredients are ready 4. Add noodles to the same pot of water eggs were cooked in and after a couple of minutes add mushrooms, pak choy and snow peas. Cook for 5 minutes or until pak choy and snow peas are tender. 5. Divide noodles among bowls and ladle miso soup and vegetables over the top. 6. Carve beef and eggs then add to bowl. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds, coriander, chili and Sriracha sauce, if desired.
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Australian Organic are excited to announce the launch of our first podcast series – the Australian Organic Collective. Hosted by Kelsie Taylor, the Australian Organic Collective podcast shares stories from Australian Organic members and the wider organic industry to educate both industry and consumers about the importance of looking for a certification logo on organic purchases. Join us as we learn more about the farmers, manufacturers and brands behind some of your favourite certified organic products. Episodes 1, 2 and 3 are now available, featuring interviews with CEO Niki Ford, Chairman Martin Meek and Chief Technical Officer Owen Gwilliam. Listen to the Australian Organic Collective Podcast on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.
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IN OUR CERTIFIED ORGANIC DIRECTORY As part of our new Australian Organic Ltd website, we’re launching an exclusive Certified Organic Directory – the first of its kind in Australia. The Directory will list Australian certified organic operations, searchable to anyone who visits our website looking for more information. Being listed in our Directory means that your information will be readily available to thousands of visitors each month – a great way to help people find your business online. Directory entries are complimentary for Australian Organic members and certified operators licensed to the Bud. Simply email us via the link below to ‘opt-in’ and be included.
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Australian Organic Awareness Month (AOAM) is Australia’s largest campaign promoting the certified organic industry. September is all about raising awareness of certified organic products, brands and businesses by educating consumers about why choosing certified organic is so important, and encouraging them to look for organic certification logos on their purchases. Now more than ever, it’s important for the industry to come together and promote the benefits of living an organic lifestyle. To join Australia’s biggest organic campaign, please contact Shari Burke: E: shari.burke@austorganic.com | T: 07 3350 5716 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES CLOSE 31 JULY 2020
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Australian Organic Ltd (AOL) is the leading representative body for the organic industry. Established more than 30 years ago, AOL was created by industry for industry. Australian Organic continues to work on our most pressing goal on behalf of our members by continuing strategic discussion on the pathway to Domestic Regulation. Australian Organic has presented submissions to the ACCC for non-compliant products labelled “organic”, and we actively advise consumers to look for certification marks on their organic products. Domestic regulation will also assist in obtaining equivalency within the organic export market. We will remain active in prosecuting the need for domestic regulation with both federal and domestic government departments. Our Strategic Plan is to Protect and Promote the interests of the industry, and continue to Engage and Consult with government and key sectors to understand and address our industry’s needs and challenges. Over the past twelve months, Australian Organic has been using membership funds to progress the organic industry through the following key activities: • • • • • • •
Lobbying Government on domestic regulation; currently tabled for upcoming AGMIN agenda and being drafted for CAF. Developing relationships with Federal & State Government Minister and Departments primarily within the Agriculture, Trade, Health & Industry portfolios. Read more in our CEO Updates. Participating in key roundtable discussions with Government and Industry partners such National Farmers Federation (NFF). Providing the Department of Trade and Foreign Affairs input into Free Trade Agreements. Lobbying ACCC on “fake organic” products. Collaborating with International counterparts to support export opportunities and growth. Developing domestic awareness campaigns to support the growing demand for organic consumption.
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Australian Organic Market Report
Complimentary printed and digital copy of the most recent Australian Organic Market Report, alongside digital copies of previous editions.
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Monthly Member Updates
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Australian Organic Awareness Month
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Become a member today and be informed. Contact Shari Burke: E: shari.burke@austorganic.com | Tel: (07) 3350 5716 www.austorganic.com
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