This Standard stipulates the minimum criteria to be met by operators before products can be labelled as ‘organic', ‘biodynamic' or ‘in-conversion' or any of these.

Those products include unprocessed products from plants, animals, fungi and their processed derivatives.

The methods by which production, preparation, labelling and marketing take place are defined and specified by this Standard.

This Standard specifies the almost absolute restriction of synthetically derived pesticides, fertilizers and veterinary inputs in production and the restriction of processing aids and additives to the most simple and necessary ones.

NOTES:

1 The materials, substances, additives and processing aids in Appendices B to D include products (inputs) established and acceptable to use in organic and biodynamic agriculture. These inputs are subject to review.

2 Appendix F sets out the criteria to be used to evaluate changes to the inputs in Appendices B to D. Appendix F also provides an application form to request changes to this Standard.

This Standard includes the definition and specification of practices in production and preparation that minimize environmental impacts in the operations and the environmental impact through the sourcing, manufacture, use and fate of input products.

This Standard specifies animal welfare requirements that focus on maintaining natural behaviour and also the broader ethical and social dimensions of agricultural production.

This Standard also includes measures that predicate internal recycling of energy and nutrients on the farm and measures that encourage the development of biodiversity and carbon conservation in the soil and vegetation of the farm.

This Standard is founded on the precautionary principle that explains the prohibition of gene technology, nanotechnology and ionizing radiation, excluding X-rays used for the detection of foreign matter, as production and processing inputs and methodologies.

As such, this Standard is based on the process of production and preparation as a defining factor in the nature of the finished product and does not therefore guarantee that the finished product is completely free from adventitious contamination arising from factors beyond the control of the operator. Nonetheless, the practices described within will maximize the quality and wholesomeness of food and other products and ensure the lowest possible risk of contamination of all finished products.

As a measure to confirm the truthful labelling of products produced under this Standard, it includes requirements for the preservation of the identity and traceability of organic and biodynamic products from the paddock to the consumer and that operators be subject to a certification system.

NOTES:

1 Appendix A provides a brief outline of a certification system for information.

2 The procedures for certification are set out in MP 100.