Organics Aotearoa New Zealand 1st National Conference - Corporate, Cooperative & Cottage!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Posted in Editorial Global Warming Organics | Tagged Editorial, Global Warming, Organics
The Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) first national conference was an inspiring blend of practicality in organics and the philosophy that is behind it. Even though OANZ is only 14 months old as an organisation the conference was an outstanding success in bringing together the disparate groups that make up the modern organic movement in New Zealand (NZ) from the corporate to the cottage, and even the cooperatives as the representatives from Fonterra pointed out.
With organics going ahead in leaps and bounds to an estimated current global turnover of around $50 billion with an annual average increase of around 10-20% the business of organics is booming like never before. In NZ organic agricultural production is worth around $100 million with $70 million of that exported, with the total land area certified organic being about the size of Lake Taupo. Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton, however, though while supportive of OANZ made clear that the governments official line is that organics is just one part of NZ’s agricultural economy. He has, however, allocated the money to get OANZ up and running along with another two years of funding at $750,000 per year for OANZ plus an expanded advisory website service with some pushing from the Greens. After that though OANZ is going to have to be self sustaining economically and the debates around how this is to be achieved is still an ongoing one.
The lack of any party political representatives apart from Jim Anderton (Progressive) for an opening speech and Nandor Tanczos (Greens) for two days was surprising considering that organics is such a good news story in every way at the moment. And if there is anything the current Labour government needs right now it is good news to associate itself with.
This Century is Going to Get Really Tough
The stand out speech for me from the conference (by a whisker) would have to go to former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Morgan Williams. I spent 5 years in these lecture theatres at Lincoln University from 1995 to 2000 and if I, or anyone else, had given the speech he gave at that time they would have been roundly condemned and most likely expelled. I clearly remember being told by a lecturer that we students must not write about global warming as something that was happening in the real world, but simply an unproven scientific theory. Well the times have changed.
Morgan Williams pointed out that there are monstrous changes ahead that have never before been confronted by previous generations with the reality of global warming being the biggest indicator of humanities unsustainable lifestyles. Couple this with the challenges of diminishing agricultural land, fresh water and oil supplies around the world and already as he pointed out cheap grain is history. He said that while we need to live within the carrying capacity of our biotic environment the majority still carry on with a cargo cult mentality.
In his opinion organics is not yet sustainable and that it needs to focus more on its carbon and water footprint, particularly if we are going to have a future as a food exporting nation. One suggestion he had to tackle these crises in NZ was his call for a national summit meeting to decide on what is the best path for future sustainability in our agricultural economy. This would focus on mainly the need for a deep redesign of agricultural production that is resilient to global warming and sustainable in how we deal with our soils and fresh water. This summit would help provide a basis for a new generation of rural leadership.
Organic High Density Nutrition
The second outstanding speaker for me was Arden Andersen a physician, soil scientist and world leading agricultural consultant on the need to feed the soil with minerals in order to produce high density nutrition food. He pointed out that modern agriculture has led to a decline in the nutrient density in food of around at least 50% since the 1940’s and that today’s westerners are starving to death on a full belly. As such, he believes organics should move beyond simply focusing on being a process of production and instead focus on the nutritional outcome of the food produced. At present organics can claim to be more nutritious on average than conventional agriculture, but with a conscious appreciation of how soil can be tweaked through soil remineralisation then the nutrient density of organic food can be greatly enhanced.
He pointed out that only 20% of current organically produced food is of superior nutritional quality. He predicts that organics could fade into mediocrity as the Wal Marts of this world go “organic” with mass produced cheap organic food from the third world. Particularly as certification standards there can be very fluid if not down right corrupt at times. Not that this doesn’t happen elsewhere, for example, American politicians have connived with the corporates to allow GE contamination in organics (this is discussed in more depth with my interview Brendan Hoare). He believes there needs to be created a meaningful nutrition standard that producers can have their products certified to as being of a high nutrient density. He predicts that if organics does not move in this direction then the organic industry could come to be seen as archaic as conventional agriculture.
Future Challenges
The three days of talks, workshops, field trips and keynote speaker talks provided an intensely stimulating environment for learning about what a positive present and future organics has if only we grasp the nettle and deal with the challenges we are faced with. There was so much positive material on offer there that my only real disappointment was that I could not get to all of them, which was compounded by the news that the next OANZ conference like this is not scheduled for another two years.
Its provocative title of “Cottage or Corporate” while sparking some debate came quickly to be seen as not an either or situation. A truly sustainable organic eco-nation requires the cottage organic enthusiasts and the corporate and cooperative organic farmers to work together, not just for mutual benefit, but ultimately the survival of ourselves, our children and our civilisation as we know it.
Podcast interviews with people at the conference at: http://prismwebcastnews.com/pwn/?p=1191
Author - Tremane Barr
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| Organic Sector Conference Report by Gavin Middleton The national Organic Sector Conference at Lincoln University last weekend was a great success, drawing more than 300 people from across the New Zealand organic sector. This inaugural conference included presentations from international and local speakers, as well as workshops covering a diverse range of subjects - from the market for organic products, to organics and the environment, certification, animal and plant husbandry, Maori values, and personal experiences of organic production. On Friday’s ”research day” a major research project from Associate Professor Hugh Campbell (University of Otago) shed new light on the importance of organics to the New Zealand economy. The domestic market for organic food and beverage is now worth $210 million per year (1.1% of all spending on food and drink), while Kiwi organic exports are valued at $120 million a year. The study also looked at why people choose to buy organic products, with key reasons including the taste, as well as because they are better for the environment and perceived as healthier. Saturday’s keynote presentations from Professor Ton Baars, Roger Hitchings and Tom Lambie were well received, while Sunday morning’s field visits got attendees out in the Canterbury sunshine, visiting Harts Creek Farm, ”A Cracker of a Nut” and Heinz-Watties Kowhai Farm. The conference dinner on Saturday night included the presentation of the Organic Sector Awards, with recognition for some of our foremost organic educators and leaders. The New Zealand Trade & Enterprise Organic Export Award was presented to food manufacturing company Pitango, whose range of certified organic soups can be found in Woolworths stores and IGA outlets across Australia. Agrisea - a producer of certified organic liquid seaweed concentrates which are popular among both organic and contemporary farmers - took home the OANZ Organic Enterprise Award, while John Ridout, Programme Director of the Certificate of Applied Organics and Biodynamics at Hawke’s Bay’s Taruna College, was presented with the Jon Manhire Award (for Outstanding Contribution to the Organic Sector). One of the opportunities presented by the conference was the chance to get to know other people involved in our organic sector. Many people have commented on the value of the conference as a ’networking’ opportunity, which was especially helped by the conference’s inclusion of the annual gatherings of BioGro NZ, the Biodynamic Association and the Soil & Health Association. OANZ would like to thank AGMARDT - who sponsored travel for keynote speakers Ton Baars and Roger Hitchings - along with Lincoln University and conference supporters including Ceres, Phoenix Organics and PureFresh Organic. NZ’s organic food and beverage market booms to $330 million New Zealand’s domestic and export markets for certified organic food and beverages are now worth more than $330 million a year, according to new research Otago University. Exported organic food products are now worth $120 million a year, with the domestic market worth an additional $210 million. In addition, demand for non-food organic products is increasing. These include fibre-based products, personal care items and eco-tourism based on organic products. Outgoing OANZ Executive Director Ken Shirley says the latest figures show New Zealand is well on track towards OANZ’s goal of boosting the organic sector to $1 billion a year by 2013. Around 1.1% of New Zealand’s total food retail market is now organic, but there is still room for growth. Organic food represents more than 3% of the total food market in European countries such as Denmark. Growth in the organic market has been matched by an increase in the land used for certified organic production. More than 63,883 hectares of New Zealand has now been certified organic - 36% more than was certified in 2002. A major contributor to this growth has been the increase in land certified for livestock - up 31% since 2002. Mr Shirley says this reinforces what OANZ already suspected - that organic meat and dairy are significant growth areas, alongside New Zealand’s traditional strength in organic fruit exports. Mr Shirley concludes, “Organic systems produce premium products, which attract premium prices. This research reinforces that certified organic production is a serious commercial option, and one which is playing an increasingly important role in New Zealand’s economy.” Anderton wants organics sector to build bridges with mainstream farmers Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton is urging the organic sector to work more closely with conventional producers, to help them become more environmentally sustainable. Mr Anderton believes organic producers should not try to “preach” the organics message by simply pushing conversion and certification. Instead, the organic sector should use its new-found unity to “step up and engage with the wider agricultural community” to help them improve their practices. He adds, “Then over time, more and more farmers and producers will be edging their practices closer to organics and in effect will be in various stages of transition. Each incremental step by the conventional sector makes the next step easier.” Mr Anderton believes it is not realistic that all New Zealand’s agriculture will convert to certified organics, even in the medium term and “probably not ever”. But organics has much to teach conventional agriculture. He notes within all sectors of NZ agriculture and horticulture there is a general thrust to reduce the use of agri-chemicals. He believes organic production provides a valuable test bed for learning about issues involved with minimal and/or nil use of agri-chemicals that could benefit conventional systems. Mr Anderton notes between 1999 and 2005, the amount of New Zealand land listed for conversion or already certified organic increased by more than 400%. And the economic incentives to go organic are certainly there. For example, between 1996 and 1999, organic kiwifruit averaged a premium of 50% over conventional fruit; organic sweetcorn achieved a 57% premium, while organic apples and lamb both sell at a 100% premium. Mr Anderton notes that consumers and regulators around the world are growing more aware of environmental issues, and that there is an increasing willingness among consumers to pay a premium for certified organic produce. “We need to be responsive to the way consumer demand is changing. If we don’t respond to the market, it will respond to us. One of the most important changes occurring in our markets is the rising concern, especially in the UK and Europe, about the way New Zealand food producers manage our environment. Supermarkets are already saying, ‘Unless you’re sustainably catching a fish or sustainably developing a dairy industry we’re not interested in buying your product.’ This should focus our minds.” He notes sales of organic products are increasing globally by 10 to 20% a year. Organics now accounts for about 4% of the world’s food and beverage market and is estimated to be worth about US$40bn a year. OANZ Making News On Monday 3 September be sure to tune into the special ”green edition” of My House My Castle, on TV2 at the earlier than usual time of 7.30pm. The hour-long special includes an interview with Ken Shirley about organics in New Zealand and the environmental and health benefits of organic production. A key part of OANZ’s advocacy role is promoting organics through the news media. In just the last few weeks, OANZ has represented the organic viewpoint through outlets including One News, CTV (Canterbury), New Zealand Lifestyle Block, Radio New Zealand, The Christchurch Press, The Southland Times, Coast and Country, The Timaru Herald and Newstalk ZB. New research by Otago University shows consumers choose organic food and drinks because they taste better, as well as being better for the environment and perceived as safer to eat. Associate Professor Hugh Campbell, Director of the Centre for the Study of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Otago, released the results of the survey at the national Organic Sector Conference. Professor Campbell notes, ”There is strong consumer sentiment for food that is GE free, contains only natural ingredients and is free from antibiotics, hormones and chemicals.” Of those surveyed, 46% said they can notice an improved taste in organic food. The survey also shows while 65% of people choose to buy certified organic food because they understand that organic systems help the environment, most consumers believe organic food is not only for ’greenies’ - an indication that organic products are now becoming mainstream. This ’coming of age’ of the organic sector is also reflected by New Zealand’s booming domestic market for organic food and drink, which today’s research has measured at $210 million a year. Professor Ton Baars’ programme · Hawke’s Bay - workshop on Biodynamic R&D. August 31. - workshop on Biodynamic R&D. August 31.· Northland - Field-day with TOPIS. September 8. At Touwai Organx, Hauraki Whenua, - Field-day with TOPIS. September 8. AtTouwai Organx, Hauraki Whenua, 143 Ford Rd, Touwai (35kms north of Whangarei). More information: Sharon Hauraki, 09 433 4819 or 027 433 4830. - presentation at Massey University. September 11.· Manawatu - Field-day for dairy and pastoral. September 12. - Field-day for dairy and pastoral. September 12.· Taranaki - Field-day for dairy and pastoral. September 13. - Field-day for dairy and pastoral. September 13.• Waikato - biodynamic pastoral workshop. September 14. Contact details and more information is available at this link: Ton Baars’ Visit. Greens Tell Landcorp To ’Go Organic’ The Green Party is challenging state-owned farmer Landcorp to get serious about sustainability by committing to going organic on half of its farms by 2020. Greens Agriculture Spokesman Nandor Tanczos says as the Govt’s farming corporation, Landcorp should be leading the way in sustainable farming, adding this must include a “real commitment” to organic production. Tanczos says Landcorp’s stated mission of ’sustainable land use management’ is belied by large-scale deforestation for dairy conversion, a doubling in dairy production since 2002, a $20,000 prosecution in May this year for illegally discharging effluent, and ”disinterest in sustainable and profitable organic production”. Tanczos notes while the Greens have secured funding from the Govt for initiatives such as an Organics Advisory Service, to help farmers convert to organics, Landcorp’s lack of interest in environmentally-friendly organic production systems suggests the environment remains a ”clip-on” for the Govt. Landcorp is understood to have recently done a study of an organic dairy herd in the Manawatu, finding it ‘financially neutral’. Organics News Roundup Organic farms at Christchurch Prison Prisoners will gain valuable skills in the rapidly expanding industry of organics with the opening of two organic farms today at Christchurch Men’s Prison, Corrections Minister Damien O’Connor says. Mr O’Connor officially opened the gardens with support from Organics Certification Body, AgriQuality, advisory organisation Organics Aotearoa New Zealand and produce supplier Fresh Direct. The gardens will provide employment for up to 12 minimum-security prisoners at Christchurch Men’s Prison and four minimum-security prisoners at Christchurch Women’s Prison. Mr O’Connor said the gardens will be modelled on the existing market garden at Rolleston Prison in Christchurch which provides employment for 20 prisoners and produces 150 tonnes of crops a year for sale to the market. Work is underway to expand the venture in other prisons. Prisoners working within the gardens will receive training by qualified instructors and work towards gaining a NZQA National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 2), which will increase their chances of finding work on release, Mr O’Connor said. More … http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0708/S00305.htm Slow movement catching on Slow down and savour the flavour. That is the message chefs partaking in this weekend’s Ecofest will be sharing with festival goers. Naomi Mitchell had a cup of (organic) coffee with Ecofest cuisine coordinator Carol Duncan and learned what’s on the menu. When Carol Duncan of Founders Organic Brewery and Cafe first became involved with the organic food section of Ecofest, her aim was to “take the mystery out of organic ingredients and cooking”. “People seemed to think you had to have a special recipe to make things organic. “It is the ingredients you choose to use.” Myths - including that organic beer and wine did not contain alcohol, organic coffee did not have caffeine and organic food was only for vegetarians and vegans - have become less widespread these days, she says. But there are still elements of organic cuisine that have yet to be fully embraced by New Zealanders. And Duncan thinks the slow food movement is one of them. Emphasizing organic You know the green movement has mainstreamed when the world’s biggest clothing retailer, Hennes & Mauritz, says it will emphasize organic cotton for the upcoming autumn-winter 2007-8 season. H&M has used organic cotton regularly since 2004, but this is the first season in which it has focused on it strongly. The company says organic cotton can be found in selected garments in all its ranges and those with the material will be specially labelled. ‘Naturally our customers are concerned about the environment, but it’s also important that garments are up-to-the-minute trend-wise. Romantic styles combined with sporty influences are key this autumn with the use of denim as a complementary fabric,’ said head designer Margareta van den Bosch in a company statement. Before 2003, green fashion was mistakenly thought of as khaki-toned and behind the times, when the opposite-especially as highlighted in this magazine’s ‘Behind the Label’ features by Summer Rayne Oakes-has been true. The company says that it expects to use 1,100 tonnes of organic cotton in 2007, compared with 30 tonnes in 2006.
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| Organics Aotearoa NZ, Level 10 Petherick Tower, 38-42 Waring Taylor Street, Wellington. PO Box 1926 Phone: 04 890 3769; Email: info@oanz.org.nz; Website: http://www.oanz.org.nz/ |
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