News and views on all things organic from BioGro NZ
The end of the year is fast approaching and it's BioGro's busiest time of the year for certification. There's a large focus in the media surrounding the use of synthetic chemicals - especially glyphosate, with organics being recognised as a solution to avoid such inputs and fight climate change. There's a heap of events on in the next few weeks, so be sure to check out our event calendar, and if you would like to add an event, let us know.
If you're launching a new product, kicking off a community event or just want to share your story, please get in touch with Maggie to discuss. We're always happy to shout from the rooftops and celebrate on your behalf.
For all important updates related to certification requirements, please refer to the BioGro website.
Until next time!
GET INVOLVED: BioGro 40th Anniversary We're coming up quickly on the end of 2024 - but there's still time to get involved with BioGro's 40th so if you're interested - get in touch!
Thank you to all of our licensees - we would not be here without your continued support.
Blog Features We are interested in doing a regular licensee spotlight for our Blog: Organic Matters, which would also be highlighted here in the monthly newsletter and on our social media. If you have a new product, initiative, or would like to share your knowledge with the wider organic community, please, get in touch.
Accreditation
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE)
The global trade in organic products has been increasing but has also become much more complex. One of the issues faced by governments is the increasing risk of fraud, and the damage this can do to the public perception of the authenticity of organic products.
For those exporting to the USA or involved in the supply chain that deals with products eligible for the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) there are some changes coming.
Some of the changes will include:
Requiring producers and processors to have a fraud prevention procedure in their organic management plan;
Making sure all transporters used are listed in the organic management plan, and that they have completed a declaration or contract to manage the transport of organic products;
For processors using imported ingredients, a focus on verifying the authenticity of imported organic ingredients;
During audits - a focus on inventory (mass-balance) and traceability;
Changes to exporting from March 2024 – instead of an export/transaction certificate there will be an import certificate issued using the USDA Organic Integrity Database.
For those involved in the export supply chain, we will let you know if there are any changes required to your organic management plan or how you manage what you do.
For further information, please refer to the SOE-FR-Fact-Sheet
Sector
Soil & Health GE Campaign
The Soil and Health Association stands as a vigilant guardian of organic agriculture, and we are taking an active role in advocating for a GE-Free NZ. Their mission is clear: raise awareness of the grave risks posed by genetic engineering and champion the cause of organic agriculture.
Christchurch to Host Climate Conference The United Nations Adaptation Futures Conference is held every two years around the globe, and next year will be held in Christchurch. Scientists, officials and leaders will convene in 2025 to help prepare countries, cities and communities for the effects of climate change.
EU Green Deal: Challenges & Chances
OANZ CEO Tiffany Tompkins unpacks the implications of the EU Green Deal. Research reveals an umbrella of policies adopted to make the bloc climate-neutral by 2050 that will pose significant challenges for New Zealand’s primary export sectors.
Earthworms Massive Role in Food Production
A new study documenting earthworms' role in food production has found their contribution to the world’s grain harvest amounts to 140 million tonnes of food annually, making them the fourth largest global producer if they were a country.
If you are aware of any events happening across Aotearoa please email Maggie with the details.
BioGro Event Calendar
Our Events Calendar is the go-to resource for organic events, conferences, open days, webinars and more. Stay up to date with the latest happenings in the organic world. Regularly updated, let us know about your events!
NZ's Largest Sustainable Lifestyle Show This is your one-stop shop for everything you need to live a sustainable life. There are a large, diverse range of companies, products and brands to help you out at the Go Green Expo.
FREE TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE at gogreenexpo.co.nz
OANZ Lunch & Learn Join Tiffany Tompkins in conversation with Emily King, food systems expert and author of Re-Food and Angela Clifford, food systems advocate at EAT NZ CEO, as they deep dive into a much-needed transformation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s broken food system.
There are heaps of super interesting community events and stories happening throughout the country. If you've got anything you would like to share, please email Maggie with the details.
OrganicNZ November/December Edition
The latest OrganicNZ – full of in-depth, independent information. Highlights include: Cover crops; Fake meat; Transplanting Lincoln’s BHU; Forever Chemicals; And of course, we celebrate 40 years of BioGro. Buy, subscribe, or gift it for Christmas.
Organics Out West - Produce Manager
An organic store nestled in the heart of west Auckland, serving locals since 2015 and acts as a community hub. They are looking for a versatile & enthusiastic fresh produce manager; for a full-time position of approximately 40 hours a week.
With a growing number of licensees reaching the big anniversary milestones, we'd like to do more in recognising their dedication to the sector. Each month, we hope you'll join us in extending best wishes to those who are celebrating their certification anniversary. Certified for 15 Years - 5167 | Craig Maxwell, 1 October 2008 (Livestock)
- 5203 | Zealong Tea Estate, 1 October 2008 (Crops, Processing)
To be featured on our instagram news feed, be sure to tag us @biogronz or #biogro
BioGro is the largest and best-known certifier for organic products and produce, certifying over 950 producers, farmers and manufacturers across New Zealand and the Pacific.
A list of all certified products and producers can be accessed on the BioGro website using our intuitive search engine.
