November 6, 2006

Australia bans exports of organic chickens due to mislabeled feed

Organic farmers' organisations in Australia say they have imposed a blanket ban on the export of organic chicken on suspicion that meat-meal wronglycertified as organic may have been used.

However, they said chicken certified as organic still meets international standards and has not been contaminated in any way. Domestic sales of organic chickens have not been banned.

Chairman of the Organic Standards Committee for the Biological Farmers of Australia, Dr Andrew Monk, reassured the Australian public that products bearing the certified organic mark are still organic.

However, he did concede the use of meat-meal did not meet the strict criteria demanded of organic standards.

The certifying body says exports would begin again when producers can prove the feed was not used.

The Organic Federation of Australia has called for the Federal Government to regulate a set standard for organic produce.

Organic Federation chairman Andre Leu says the situation where Australia applies one standard for exports and another for the domestic markets would confuse consumers, he said, adding that there should only be one standard.