Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare an enterprise for organic certification.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation and codes, and sustainability practices.
This unit applies to farmers who are preparing a production enterprise for compliance with the Federal Government Department of Agriculture, accredited certification bodies and the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce.
This unit applies to individuals who take responsibility for their own work and for the quality of the work of others within know parameters and use discretion and judgment in the selection, allocation and use of available resources.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Investigate and access information sources and support for conversion to organic production | 1.1 Establish contact with other organic producers and marketers of organic products 1.2 Identify and use other sources of support and advice including agricultural extension officers and training programs 1.3 Assess literature, publications and internet sources of information to support decision-making for usefulness and reliability 1.4 Obtain certification process requirements from certification bodies and select appropriate certifier 1.5 Investigate roles and responsibilities of inspector, certifier and accreditation bodies, including role of government departments |
2. Conduct a risk assessment of the site | 2.1 Identify and document previous land use and chemicals applied on the site 2.2 Undertake and document risk assessment for potential on-farm contaminants 2.3 Assess potential contamination risk from off-farm land use and agricultural practices 2.4 Incorporate risk management procedures to minimise potential contamination from internal and external sources into a certification preparation plan |
3. Develop and implement hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) based procedures | 3.1 Identify and document production processes and activities, and those sections of supply chain under one's control, according to certification bodies' requirements and the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce 3.2 Identify, document and compare quality, organic and statutory product standards to be met to actual standards achieved by product and enterprise 3.3 Identify and document corrective actions or improvements to processes and activities 3.4 Develop and implement procedures and processes for monitoring and annual review, including an internal review protocol where appropriate 3.5 Where required integrate a food safety management program |
4. Manage customer feedback | 4.1 Develop and implement procedures to obtain, analyse and respond to customer feedback on quality and integrity of organic product 4.2 Develop, communicate to relevant parties and monitor product recall procedures |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.
The candidate must provide evidence that they can:
identify requirements for organic certification and apply them to one's enterprise
identify critical points in supply chain at which the organic integrity of one's product may be compromised
implement and monitor effective risk management for those parts of supply chain under one's control
identify practices and strategies to minimise the risk of contamination and non conformance with organic standards
develop an operational plan for conversion to organic production
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
certification process
chain of custody
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles and risk management
health and food safety requirements and issues
labelling requirements for domestic and export markets
market for organic produce, including the organic movement and organic industry
National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce
principles of organic agriculture
procedures and responsibilities in the case of product recall
procedures for conducting and documenting a risk assessment
regulatory requirements and their domestic and international contexts
requirements of an OMP, including record keeping
role of quality management systems in organic industry including documentation requirements
working knowledge of the regulated organic industry, including the role of the government, certification bodies and inspectors
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace and/or a simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Organic Production (ORG)