News and views on all things organic from BioGro NZ
Welcome to 2024 and the first newsletter of the year. We wish you all a prosperous year ahead! We have a great surge of news to kick-start the new year, including licensee workshops and the opening of OrganicNZ award nominations.
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!
Holiday Period
Please be aware that some members of the BioGro team have taken Annual Leave throughout January which may lead to a delay in response times. Despite this, most are back in action and ready to take on the New Year.
BioGro Baby
Please extend your congratulations to Programme Manager, Robert and his partner, Sorcha. They welcomed a baby on the 31st of December. Mum and Baby (and Robert) are all doing well.
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, or initiative, or would like to share your knowledge with the wider organic community, please, get in touch.
Accreditation
USDA - Strengthening Organic Enforcement In October last year, we provided a notification of some upcoming changes to the USDA requirements. This time as we get closer to the March implementation date, we are providing more information so that you can be ready if the changes affect you.
NATRUE Promotion NATRUE is offering free promotional services to all NATRUE-certified brands. Please refer to the information sheet for more details.
Sector
Soil & Health Memberships
A Soil & Health membership, at $90 annually, will help the organisation raise awareness of the grave risks posed by genetic engineering and champion the cause of organic agriculture.
2023 Hottest Year on Record 2023 “smashed” the record for the hottest year by a huge margin, providing “dramatic testimony” of how much warmer and more dangerous today’s climate is from the cooler one in which human civilisation developed.
Urban Composting Schemes
Organic waste recycling is mandatory in France under new rules. The waste will be turned into biogas or compost. California introduced similar laws a year ago and initial results show businesses expanding to cope with demand, and 160 thousand KG of waste diverted from landfills.
Honey Yields Decreasing in US
New research in the US has shown a marked decline in honey production despite an increase in hives. Factors include an explosion in the use of herbicides, the conversion of previously flower-rich land into monocultural farmland, and a decline in soil productivity
NZ Not On Track to Meet Climate Obligations
According to a review, NZ is not on track to meet climate targets, and it could cost the government billions to make up the shortfall. Officials warned in 2023 that the motu did not have enough policies for cutting emissions. More policies have since been scrapped.
Native Forest Plan Would Put NZ At Net Zero
A proposal to plant 2.1 million hectares of NZ land with native forestry was presented at COP28 by Pure Advantage. It is estimated to cost less than half of current projections for carbon credits while eventually putting NZ at net zero.
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! Updated for the first quarter of 2024!
Mahakaruna Farm Organic Education Centre
Workshops are being run in early February by Gary and Meg Hirshberg providing strategies and tools that have helped them create one of the largest organic business in the world. The workshops in person and online), cost $15 per person and can be registered for at Eventbrite.
OrganicNZ Awards Nominations Open
The next OrganicNZ Awards will take place on 3 May 2024, at the Boatshed, Wellington — as part of Organic Week Aotearoa celebrations (1-7 May). The nominations are open now and close on March 10.
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 Jan/Feb Edition
The latest OrganicNZ – full of in-depth, independent information. Highlights include: Understanding methane, how roots grow, organic spelt farming, summer recipes and more! Buy, subscribe, or gift it.
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.
