Why is Certified Organic so important? Meet our GF Oats Organic Farmers!

Since 2016 we have been proudly offering our customers a certified organic oats option from our farmers based in the US. This product has been extremely popular and every year our sales have been increasing. We gradually extended the product offering from the original 500g bags to 1kg, 2kg, 5kg and bulk bags.

Certifications

It is possible to apply for many different product certifications, but each of these cost money... alot of money. When we are talking specifically about organic certifications, there are several different certifying bodies here in Australia who we can partner with, including: 

• Australian Certified Organic (ACO)
• NASAA Certified Organic
• The Organic Food Chain
• AUS-QUAL
• The Bio-Dynamic Research Institute
• Safe Food Production Queensland
• The Tasmanian Organic Producers
• IFOAM
• Southern Cross 

The Aussie farmers that now supply our organic oats are certified with Southern Cross. Once the product is received by GF Oats, we then work with ACO (Australian Certified Organic) who independently test our organic oats to ensure that they test to nil Gluten. ACO is the largest and most trusted certifier for organic and biodynamic produce in Australia. When you buy GF Oats certified organic products, you can be assured that they meet the stringent testing protocols of both Southern Cross and Australian Certified Organic.

On every GF Oats organic product, you will see the ACO logo and a unique number displayed on the packaging.  The number that is displayed is exclusive to GF Oats and indicates that we have achieved organic certification.  

What is the difference between Traditional Oats and Organic Oats?

However, there are differences between how traditional oats and certified organic oats are grown. At GF Oats, we source both the Traditional GF Oats and the Certified Organic GF Oats from the beautiful Wandering region of Western Australia.  While pesticides or herbicides may be used during conventional farming of Traditional Oats, there are no pesticides or herbicides used on the certified organic uncontaminated rolled oat fields. Instead, the crops are fertilized using 100% organic matter. Animal-based fertilizer is used on fields during crop rotation from year to year, a clover is used to provide nitrogen to the soil, and the sheep are transitioned to various paddocks once the crop has been harvested. 

Rob and Ann are the faces behind the stunning Certified Organic Oats that we have for you to enjoy. Their fields are unique in that they have a National Park bordering 3 sides of their property, so they only had to grow trees on one border to ensure that their property remains protected from farm practices on the neighbouring property.  They are passionate about organic food and are excited to be the first in Australia to provide customers with organic uncontaminated oats. 

Food and ingredients produced via organic farming is as natural as can be.

Organic always means:

• No synthetic chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides
• Made without artificial colours or preservatives
• Livestock are free to roam
• No routine use of antibiotics
• No genetically modified ingredients (GMOs)

What are the benefits of buying Organic Oats?

We recently wrote a blog about the benefits of buying Organic Oats, which you can read by clicking on this link.  

The Research

While organic and regular oats have the same nutritional information and benefits, according to a research review published in 2014 in the “British Journal of Nutrition,” organic crops may contain higher antioxidant concentrations. Organic oats could also be safer to consume because they are not produced with chemical pesticides or fertilizers. 

It is also important to note that each of the crop varieties follows strict exclusion zones. This means that organic crops are grown and processed in such a way that they will not be threatened by contamination with other crops that are not organic. 

Both the traditional oats and the certified organic oats are uncontaminated from the gluten found in wheat, rye and barley. In the US, UK, Canada and parts of Europe, this same variety is labelled as gluten-free oats. However, here in Australia, we are unable to label them gluten-free oats due to labelling restrictions.     

And, why should you care? Read on to learn the basics on organic food and farming and its benefits for both you and the earth!

HOW IS ORGANIC FOOD BETTER?

Tossing up between organic and non-organic products? Not sure why organic products are more expensive? Here are a few reasons why you should shop organic!

• It's more nutritious. 

Studies have shown that organic food contains more vitamins, minerals and micronutrients than conventionally grown food. 

• There are no harmful pesticides used. 

The only ones that are used come from natural pesticides. This means no residue on the food you are eating and the farmers are not exposed to constant chemicals - and neither is the earth! Conventional agriculture on the other hand uses fungicides, herbicides and synthetic pesticides. No matter how many times the food is washed, a residue of these chemicals remains on the food. 

• There are no artificial additives. 

Organic produce has no artificial ingredients, chemical flavourings, MSG or preservatives (including sulphur dioxide).

• It tastes better! 

The careful organic farming practices that emphasise quality over quantity, the better welfare of animals and the lack of any filler ingredients allow the natural flavours of the food to shine through.

HOW DOES ORGANIC FARMING BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT?

Organic food isn’t just better for your health, it is also better for the environment!

Organic farming practices:

• Prevents the use of toxic chemicals. 

The chemicals used in conventional agriculture can be damaging to our environment, wildlife and health. Our climate is changing at a rapid rate. Eating organic and supporting organic farming can help slow climate change by allowing nature to rebalance itself after all the alterations we have forced it to do over the years through conventional farming. 

• Build healthy soil. 

Healthy soil is the basis for organic agriculture. Organic farmers use natural resources to maintain healthy soil that can sustain generations. Because the soil has no nasties in it, your food will in turn have all the nutrients it is supposed to have. 

• Encourage biodiversity. 

Organic farms respect the natural biodiversity of their environment, creating stable habitats for local wildlife and increasing how resilient a farm is to issues like bad weather, disease and pests.

THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS

While anyone can claim their product is organic, a certifying logo is your proof that the product you are buying not only talks the talk but walks the walk.

To be certified organic, farmers must undergo audits over a 3-year period and continue to be audited to hold onto the organic certification. The audits are to ensure the growing and manufacturing process is up to Australia’s organic standards and the 3-year period is to ensure full organic compliance.

AUSTRALIAN CERTIFICATION BODIES

In Australia, there are various organic certification bodies that have been approved by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), such as:

• Australian Certified Organic (ACO)
• NASAA Certified Organic
• The Organic Food Chain
• AUS-QUAL
• The Bio-Dynamic Research Institute
• Safe Food Production Queensland
• The Tasmanian Organic Producers
• IFOAM

We are a certified organic company and all organic products sold by us are 3rd party verified by the ACO. The ACO is the largest and most trusted certifier for organic and biodynamic produce in Australia, taking 3 years to become certified.

All of our organic products are sourced and handled under strict ACO guidelines, ensuring their organic integrity remains intact. Being certified organic also means that the Honest to Goodness warehouse and production facility are never fumigated, and we continue to have yearly audits to maintain our certification.

Taste the difference with our organic range and eat your way to change!