The year that was and the year that will be…
National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia
It’s been a busy few years for NASAA with changes to the organisational structure and management boards making it interesting times for the business! The AGM last year saw some major changes to the NASAA Board with Rod May, who had served on the NASAA Board since 1992, resigning and his standards and technical expertise has been sadly missed.
Phil Rowe and myself returned to the NASAA Board after some time on the NCO Board. Dean Metcalfe, a new director joined the board with Oliver Holmgren a past director renominating. Gaye Lamb was midterm and continues on the board.
Promotion has once again been the focus for NASAA with this year seeing advertising through rural media and industry magazines.
NASAA attended the Werribee Field Days, which was very successful and the Organic Expo in Sydney. The OFA, NASAA and OFC sponsored the Exhibitors Breakfast at the expo where there was a tribute to Ivy Inwood in recognition of her work to the industry. Our guest speaker, Malcom Turnbull, spoke passionately about Coal Seam Gas mining issues and the impact on the water tables.
NASAA represented at Biofach Japan in conjunction with Organic Dairy Farmers and I attended the IFOAM World Congress in South Korea in September, 2011, the pinnacle event for the organic world held every three years.
It was pleasing to see a strong contingent of about a dozen delegates from Australia and a very clear message from the IFOAM Conference that organic standards need to be much stronger across environmental, ethical, social and animal welfare.
The IFOAM General Assembly saw the election of World Board members for the next three years with Andre Leu re-elected as a World Board member and subsequently elected as President of IFOAM.
Late 2010 saw the decertification of an NCO property in WA for GM contamination and NASAA petitioning government to ensure that systems were put in place to protect not only organic farmers, but all farmers who do not wish to suffer GM contamination.
NASAA delivered media interviews and editorial to explain the organic position was not just NASAA, but the entire Australian Organic industry.
With a strong push by conventional farming organizations for the industry to allow for a small amount of contamination as in EU, much time was spent explaining that not even EU allow for known contamination, such as the case in WA.
Coal seam gas mining is another issue facing not only organic farmers but all farmers. NASAA and NCO will continue to support growers faced with exploration on their properties and correspondence has been issued to ensure that exploration companies comply with government regulations.
Looking to the future, expect to see a stronger, higher profile NASAA forging forward with our commitment to promote and safeguard the future of our Australian organic industry for operators, colleagues and consumers alike.
We wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year, and look forward to helping you grow your organic business in 2012!