Position Statement: The closure of NCO as a certifier

Organic Operators Australia recommends that all organic industry operators, whether affected by NCO's closure or not, adopt a low-cost validated domestic certification solution to ensure business continuity.

The AS6000 (Australian Standard 6000:2015 - Organic and biodynamic products) is the single voluntary domestic organic standard enforced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

• The AS6000 is the Standard by which the ACCC deems a product legitimately labelled 'organic' or 'organic certified' under Australian Consumer Law. 
• The ACCC can pursue fraudulent claims and practices impinging on organic operators certified to the AS6000. 

The AS6000 and its accompanying certifier-accreditation apparatus have been developed by the independent non-government not-for-profit organisation Standards Australia.

• Standards Australia is recognised nationally and internationally as Australia's premier industry standards body.

The AS6000 provides organic operators with the opportunity to demonstrate transparency, accountability, and integrity as well as the ability to present a differentiated and trusted brand to their domestic consumers.

• Certification to the AS6000 is half the cost of certification to the Australian Government owned National Standard.
• The National Standard is the export standard providing the Australian Government the basis for government-to-government trade agreements.
• The NS enables the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) to issue export certificates to operators certified to the NS by certifiers accredited by DAFF for this export certification purpose.

Neither the NS nor any other organic certification standard, other than the AS6000, endows organic operators with the legislative protection afforded by the ACCC for domestically sold products.

Questions regarding certification to the AS6000 can be directed to feedback@organicoperators.au.