AUS-QUAL Certification Body Extends Offering with ‘Bud’ Logo Licensing Agreement

25 November 2019

Australian Organic is pleased to announce the signing of a licensing agreement with certification body AUS-QUAL to offer Bud logo licensing to certified organic businesses.

AUS-QUAL is Australia and New Zealand’s leading agribusiness auditing, certification and training provider. As a wholly owned subsidiary of AUS-MEAT Limited, which has contributed to the growth success of the red meat industry in Australia, AUS-QUAL provides services to the broader agricultural industry.

As part of a step forward to becoming peak industry body, Australian Organic Ltd (AOL) has committed to extending the licensing of the Bud logo to more certification bodies throughout Australia in a bid to make it easier for consumers to recognise on a label when a product is truly organic. This will alert consumers to which products are authentically organic, versus ‘fake’ organic products within the marketplace.

“AUS-QUAL is a long standing supporter of the Australian organic industry and has been encouraged by the evolution of AOL,” said Ian King, Managing Director of AUS-QUAL Pty Ltd. “AUS-QUAL recognises the opportunity in this sector and the ability to provide our clients with the well recognised Bud logo. We see it as not only an important step in supporting our clients, but for the broader organic industry including AOL.”

The Bud logo is now recognized by over 50 per cent of Australian shoppers and 55 per cent of organic consumers also say they look for certification marks when purchasing organic products. The Bud is the most recognised organic certification mark in Australia (Australian Organic Market Report 2019).

“Australian Organic is very excited to partner with AUS-QUAL as the second certification body to now offer the Bud logo license to certified operators across Australia,” said AOL CEO Niki Ford. “This partnership is highly valued with both organisations committed to growing the Australian organic industry.”

The Bud logo license is now available to businesses who apply for organic certification through
AUS-QUAL, meaning that more brands and products throughout Australia will be able to display the highly recognised certification logo.

“Licensing the Bud logo to more certification bodies is a core strategy to allow more consumers to easily recognise products that are truly organic,” said Ms Ford. “Australia is the last country in the developed world not to have an enforced domestic organic standard. Domestic regulation is the number one goal for AOL and we are working extensively with regulatory organisations, government departments and the Minister of Agriculture’s office to deliver this by 2020. Funds raised from licensing of the Bud logo will be used exclusively for industry development and peak body representation.”

For more information about AUS-QUAL, visit their website: ausmeat.com.au