For land-based primary production sectors within Australia, prior to certification being granted a
12-month period under the Australian Certified Organic audit system, or similar recognised audit system,
shall take place – known as precertification. During this period, there shall be an initial (“gap” audit)
and at a minimum one full on-farm audit, which will include the assessment of organic management and
the taking of soil and/or tissue samples for the testing of contamination from veterinary and agricultural
chemicals, heavy metals and/or GMOs, etc., where applicable. Such testing may assess products and
processes throughout the production and preparation chain. During the precertification period, labelling
of the product shall not make reference to the production method as organic, the certification agency or
claim that the product is under an organic auditing and/or certification system.