Buzz from Organics Aotearoa

OANZ Buzz

June is a very big month for OANZ. We are completing the 2018 Organic Market Report to be launched on June 20, and as we write this update, your Board and many of you have rallied to the call to let your views be heard at MPI’s nationwide consultation meetings on the need to regulate organic and have a single mandatory national standard.

Have your say
The consultation meetings wind up on June 11 and we would urge you to attend one, if you have not already, and demonstrate your commitment for a robust enforceable regulatory regime to bring New Zealand on par with most other countries.

The preferred MPI option applies to 1, 2 and 4 of our four-point strategy. Point 3 is likely to be in the second phase of consultation. You can find details on our website here, but just to reiterate, our four-point strategy is:

1. Regulate the use of the term organic

2. Develop a single national standard

3. Adopt MPI’s Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP) Technical Rules as the national standard

4. The national standard will cover export, domestic and imported certified organic product.

We’ll keep you posted on progress but OANZ, as the recognised peak organisation representing the organic sector, will continue to work collaboratively with the government and officials to progress establishment of the long-awaited standard and underpinning legislation. We are excited at the certainty and fresh opportunities from having a robust standard and regulatory framework.

Market Report signals what's good for organic growth
The Market Report will provide core data, research, analysis and insights to demonstrate growth and opportunities in the sector across the value chain from market to producer as well as signal the trends and what consumers need and want as they seek out authentic, ethical, natural – and organic – products both domestically and internationally.

Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Damien O’Connor will host the launch at an event on the afternoon of 20 June in the Great Hall at Parliament and we look forward to sharing the results with you and New Zealand.

The 2018 Organic Market Report will provide a picture not only of the developments in the past few years but also look to the future and the steps that can be taken for the good of sector participants and the good of New Zealand to further grow organic, the fastest growing multi-food sector in the world and a sector that is extending into new areas to satisfy consumer demand. The report will contain:
• Data on domestic and export growth and other core leading product and market trends.
• Domestic consumer perception on what organic is and means as well as scan data on leading SKUs of domestic products to provide, for the first time, a more detailed analysis of the domestic market.
• Survey results and analysis of the research undertaken by lead sector members: Beef + Lamb, Dairy NZ, Horticulture New Zealand, NZ Wine, and the Federation of Maori Authorities to gauge the interest and attitudes on organic.
• Case studies of core sectors including: red meat, dairy, kiwifruit, wine, pipfruit, beauty and bodycare and community gardens.
• An introduction to True Cost Accounting and its value in calculating the real costs and benefits in food production.

NEWS and INFORMATION

Our New Zealand champions

North Canterbury organic winery cleans up at national awards
Terrace Edge Wines, in Waipara, took out top vineyard at the New Zealand Organic Wine Awards on May 3. Viticulturist Pete Chapman says it was an ...

Commonsense Organics aims to be NZ's first plastic-free grocery
Co-owner of Commonsense Organics Marion Wood said she would make her six stores in Wellington and Auckland plastic free tomorrow – from bags ...

Going green: John Bostock's vision for organic food is paying off
Read full North and South article here.

Market information

Zespri annual profit rises 38%, lifts grower payment
Supply of Green and Organic Green reduced considerably from the ... "We are anticipating record production of New Zealand and non-New Zealand ...

8 business tips from Gary Hirshberg.
Read top business lessons from the organic pioneer’s Stonyfield journey—and the experiences that taught him each...
Note: Gary and Meg Hirshberg will be joining us for the OANZ Market Report launch 20 June.

IFOAM news

2017 IFOAM Annual Report now available online
In the report, you'll find our highlights from 2017, including the Organic World Congress in India; publishing the Global Policy Toolkit increasing our project activities; and welcoming Peggy Miars and a new World Board.

We hope you enjoy reading about our activities, impacts and messages, and that you continue to join us on the journey in 2018!

Recommended Reading: Organic 3.0 – an internationally agreed process of going to scale
Organic 1.0 was started by our numerous pioneers, who observed the problems with the direction that agriculture was taking at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century and saw the need for a radical change.

Organic 2.0 started in the 1970s when the writings and agricultural systems developed by our pioneers were codified into standards and then later into legally-mandated regulatory systems.

Organic 3.0 is about bringing organic out of its current niche into the mainstream and positioning organic systems as part of the multiple solutions needed to solve the tremendous challenges faced by our planet and our species.

See more details and free downloadable booklet here and introductory video here.

Research and science

NZ’s BHU Future Farming Centre
OANZ member the Biological Husbandry Unit is also a centre of organic best practice and research. You can read their April issue of The FFC Bulletin here.

How funding research can support organic
"To tap into the full potential of organic farming systems, policy-makers should invest more in organic research and farm extension services."

This blog looks at the benefits of investing in research - and how the Tunisian government's support of organic sector development has had outstanding results.

Indian supreme court says seeds are not patentable
Monsanto has lost a Supreme Court case in India, which ruled that seeds, plants and animals cannot be patented. The court upheld article 3J of India’s Patent Law, which means that Monsanto can’t own a patent over Bt genetically modified cotton seeds in India.

Vandana Shiva called it a "major victory", adding "The Earth will win. Seed will win, Monsanto will lose."

Impact of weather and well-timed cultural management techniques on organic weed control
Weed management can be a tough challenge in organic cropping systems since growers don't have herbicides in their weed control arsenal.

Number of organic farmers rises by almost 2 percent in 2017
Latest figures released by Defra show the number of producers farming organically increased by almost 2% in 2017 - the first increase in at least six years.

Adapting to climate change
The Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group has reported back to Government with recommendations on what New Zealand needs to do to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Regulations and certification: Government and why it's so important

NZ Regulation
OANZ’s call for Regulation and National Standard heard
After five years of uniting the organic sector and meeting with the consecutive Ministry for Primary Industries in Wellington, the Labour Government has instructed MPI to initiate a consultation process. We want to encourage you to make your voices heard in support of implementing a mandatory, single, national standard for organics and bring New Zealand’s regulatory regime up to international standards.

Global news
EU: new organic farming rules adopted
The Council of the European Union informed that on 22 May the Council adopted new EU rules on organic production and the labelling of organic products. Read more here.

USDA outlines three prong plan to detect and prevent fraud in organic
The plan includes immediately actionable steps as well as longer-term regulatory efforts to strengthen organic control systems, improve farm to market ...

Denmark to invest 1.1 billion kroner in organic
The Danish government has unveiled a new financial growth plan for organic agriculture worth 1.1 billion kroner (147 million euros).

Responding to high demand for organic products, a key focus of the plan is encouraging more farmers to choose to go organic.

GE, pesticides etc.

Federated Farmers drop legal action around GMOs
“This affects both the traditional agricultural sector and New Zealand'sgrowing organicsector. There are significant premiums for producers who can ...

Mapping New Zealand's chemical use
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/04/23/106027/mapping-new-zealands-chemical-romance

Do Kiwis still care about GE free?
Jon Carapiet talks to Wallace Chapman:
http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/sun/sun-20180603-0837-do_kiwis_still_care_about_ge_free-128.mp3

Events and action

National Organic Standard Consultation
OANZ Chair Doug Voss calls on OANZ members and interested parties for submissions to support an enforceable, single, national organic standard. Mr Voss urges the organic sector to make its voice heard in support of bringing New Zealand’s regulatory regime up to international standards.

Face to face meetings started 18 May and by publication date the following events are taking place:
• 7 June--Armitage Hotel, 9 Willow St, Tauranga
Written consultations are open until 11 June.

OANZ Market Report launch
20 June, Parliament, Wellington @ 3.30pm.

'Water and light' theme for biodynamic conference
''Water and Light'' is the theme for the 2018 New Zealand Biodynamic conference in June and more than 100 people from throughout the country are expected to attend the three-day event in Clyde and Wanaka. Local convener Su Hoskin, of Wanaka, is an organic and biodynamic ...

ENDS

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