Australian Organic Limited (formerly known as Biological Farmers of Australia, or BFA) has always been a major force in ensuring that organic standards in Australia remain in the hands of the supply chain.

Initially formed to progress the interests of farmers and processors who wanted to promote and protect the message of organic, including the setting of organic standards, the BFA moved on to develop an organic certification program to independently verify that farmers and processors were producing in accord with those standards.

The organisation represented both organic and biodynamic (a specific form of organic production) farmers, and hence the broader term “biological farmers” was chosen to promote a simple message that such farmers were using natural methods to produce their foods for consumers. BFA was registered as a co-operative in 1988, following key community and industry meetings across the country.

In 2009, BFA changed its corporate structure to that of a company limited by guarantee. Today, this allows Australian Organic to be recognised as an entity which is conducting its business internationally, with other benefits including reduced administration costs and greater assistance in operating on a not-for-profit basis.

BFA changed its name to Australian Organic Limited (AOL) in 2012 to better reflect its activities and client base.

Australian Organic Demerge

During 2017, the organic industry undertook a consultative process to uncover a clear pathway to create a single voice to government. The results of this process provided a recommendation that Australian Organic Limited (AOL) could step forward as the peak body for the organic industry – however there was a list of changes that AOL would need implement to gain industry support. The largest of these changes was to separate from its subsidiary certification arm, Australian Certified Organic Pty Ltd (ACO).

As AOL is a member owned organisation, a resolution required to be passed to allow for the official separation of the subsidiary from the parent company. At the 2017 AGM, AOL’s members voted in support of the process and as at 30 June 2018 AOL demerged from its subsidiary certification arm, ACO (now ACO Certification Ltd – Australia’s largest organic certifier). ACO Certification Ltd no longer holds the exclusive license for certification to the Bud logo. AOL and ACO Certification Ltd operate under two separate Boards, Organisational Structures and Strategic Objectives.

Post de-merge, Australian Organic Limited is now able to license to ‘The Bud’ trademark to all Department-accredited (DAWE) certifiers enabling more certified operators the opportunity to license to the Bud and become licensees. The Bud logo is also available through AUS-QUAL.

AOL continues to invest these licensing fees into the protection and promotion of the organic industry and provides funding for research and education of certified organic products, brands, and businesses.

AOLTimeline

2022

  • 7th Chairman appointed, Mike Brown.
  • New Directors appointed: David Keens and Hsiao-Ti (Didi) Lo.
  • Directors Martin Meek and Sonya Dowling resigned from their board positions, both having made significant contributions to organic industry.
  • Winners of 8th Australian Organic Industry Awards announced at ceremony in Hunter Valley, NSW.
  • Australian Organic Awareness Month campaign held in September, including a television segment on Better Homes & Gardens.
  • Australian Organic Consumer Trust Survey 2022 released, a research project involving 1,020 Australian food shoppers and their perceptions of organic food.
  • Inaugural Australian Organic Conference held in Brisbane on July 21-22, centred around theme of ‘Embracing Change and Transformation’.
  • Winners of Australian Organic Wine Awards announced.
  • AOL Advisory Committees attend two-day workshop for discussions on organic grain industry and National Waste Policy Action Plan.

2021

  • Australian Organic Wine Awards relaunched
  • Inclusion of organic production in NFF’s Regionalisation Agenda Policy
  • Australian Certified Organic Standard (ACOS) 2021 harmonised version published in March
  • Organics Industry Advisory Group (OIAG) final report released to Minister Littleproud
  • Australian Organic Market Report 2021 published in partnership with the University of Melbourne
  • First industry research volume Market Report Industry Research: Volume 1 published
  • AOL negotiates Organic Approved Biosecurity treatments for organic cereal imports with DAWE
  • Bud Guarantee media campaign launched
  • AOL publishes 3 Years as Peak Industry Body key achievements & milestones
  • Australian Organic Awareness Month engages ambassadors Andy Allen, Mike Bennie & Anika Molesworth

2020

  • AOL represents organic industry at Parliament House Ministerial Roundtables: Bushfires
  • Trade Organic website & export program launched in March
  • AOL represents organic industry at Parliament House Ministerial Roundtables: COVID-19
  • Australian Organic Connect quarterly e-magazine launched
  • AOL provides support to DFAT for UK FTA (organic)
  • AOL Domestic Regulation Discussion Paper delivered to Minister Littleproud & Treasury
  • Domestic Regulation mentioned in NFF’s Get Australia Growing Policy
  • CEO Niki Ford awarded NFF DiALP & appointed to ACCC Agriculture Consultative Committee
  • Australian Organic Limited & Bud Organic Club websites relaunched with new member portals
  • AOL engages with DAWE regarding Taiwan & Japan equivalence arrangements
  • Australian Organic Awareness Month engages 3 major supermarkets & ambassador Lincoln Lewis
  • Australian Organic Schools Program relaunched with new website & teaching content in October
  • Appointment of Organics Industry Advisory Group (OIAG) by DAWE in December

2019

  • Sixth Chairman appointed, Martin Meek
  • New Director: Bernadette Favis
  • NFF membership established
  • First meeting with DAWE regarding Domestic Regulation
  • ACCC Misleading Claims submission
  • Australian Organic Market Report 2019 launched
  • AOL appoints first CEO, Niki Ford
  • AOL facilitates first meeting between organic growers & DAWE Biosecurity teams regarding Grain Import Crisis
  • Australian Organic Awareness Month receives wide media coverage with ambassadors Luke Hines & Elle Halliwell
  • New Directors: Sonya Dowling & Iain Scholes
  • Board members Quentin Kennedy and Andrew Monk retire with combined 50 years of service to the organic industry

  • Licensing agreements signed with ACOCL & AUS-QUAL
  • 6th Australian Organic Annual Industry Awards hosted in Melbourne

2018

  • AOL officially demerges from ACO Certification Ltd
  • Australian Organic Awareness Month partners with Coles & Woolworths with ambassadors Luke Hines & Lola Berry
  • AOL launches Australia’s largest consumer platform, Bud Organic Club

  • AOL establishes Trade membership
  • AOL establishes Organic Advisory Committees
  • AOL becomes members of AFGC
  • 5th Australian Organic Annual Industry Awards evening hosted in Canberra

  • New General Manager: Niki Ford

 

2017

  • 30 year anniversary celebration of Australian Organic
  • Members vote to demerge Australian Organic’s certification subsidiary, ACO

 

2016

  • AOL tours USA and attends SIAL China
  • ACO imported ingredients logo introduced
  • Australian Organic member rewards package commenced

2015

  • Tasmanian Organic Producers (TOP) integrated with ACO

2014

  • Australian Organic Awards for
    Excellence established
  • Australian Organic Awareness
    Month is launched
  • Australia’s only Online Zoho OPC electronic exports approval system created
  • Ecert certification database
    installed and activated
  • Winner Tradeshow at AusVeg
  • ACO achieves accreditation with China

2013

  • BFA moves to current premises in Nundah, Brisbane

2012

  • BFA changes its name to
    Australian Organic Limited (AOL)
  • CleanFood transforms into
    Bud Organic Magazine
  • BFA moves to Chermside, Brisbane
  • Fifth Chairman, Dr Andrew Monk

2010

  • ACO received the 2010 CHOICE Award for Best Food Endorsement Program.
  • OGA is shortlisted for the same award

2009

  • BFA achieves company restructure from a co-operative to a company limited by guarantee

2008

  • Organic business evolves to become Australian Organic Producer Magazine
  • 1st edition Australian Organic Market Report published by BFA, researched by UNE
  • BFA Organic Schools Program is born

2007

  • The Australian Organic Journal takes shape as Australian Organic Magazine

2006

  • Certification company OGA moves under the BFA umbrella becoming a small grower certification program

2005

  • 12 subcommittee groups established to represent the various sectors
    of the industry

2004

  • BFA head office moves to Brisbane with the aim of “mainstreaming organics”

2002

  • Establishment of Australian
    Certified Organic (ACO)
  • ACO achieves IFOAM
    accreditation and USDA

2001

  • Integration with the Organic Vignerons

2000

  • Accreditation with Japan

1998

  • Establishment of office staff in Toowoomba

1997

  • Fourth Chairman Mr Douglas Haas

1996

  • Third Chairman: Mr Graeme McNally

1994

  • Second Chairman: Mr Arthur Daiken

1992

  • BFA is accredited as an organic certification organisation by AQIS

1989

  • Birth of the Bud: logo concept designed by Rosemary Dunn

1987

  • Establishment of Biological Farmers of
    Australia (BFA) Co-Op
  • Founding Chairman: Mr Gavin Dunn