Organic Insights Magazine - Summer 2022

Organic Insights / Summer 2022 / 3

MES SAGE FROM THE CHA IR

Highlights from our recent AGM. We have survived an unprecedented disruptive period, including a global pandemic, war

NASAA Organic continues to collaborate within industry and has signed an MOU formalising a relationship with the industry charity Organic Trust Australia: Research and Education (OTARE) that will enable NASAA Organic to receive bequests and tax-deductible donations for education or research projects. Our support will continue for Organic Industries Australia (OIA) as the national peak body. We will step up our international engagement with IFOAM Oceania members and collaborate with regenerative agriculture organisations. NASAA Organic will further revive our strong reputation for providing good, reliable information via webinars, field days, workshops, and conferences – and undertake collaborative activities with partners such as the Australian Organic Recyclers Association (AORA), Organic Consumers Association of Australian (OCAA), OTARE and OIA, Mekong Organics and others. We will also continue to address the need for assistance and conversion information and grow our membership by presenting engagement opportunities including a member only website (to be released in the new year), participation in advisory committees and workshops/field days. In opening our recent AGM, I was reminded of the definition of an Association as: A group of people who work together in a single organisation for a particular purpose; that share a mental connection or relation between thoughts, feelings, ideas, and sensations. NASAA as an Association is its Members and we don’t function without our Members. I, and the NASAA Organic Board, wish to express our thanks and appreciation for the input we have received over the year from our Members and look forward to your ongoing contributions. We also give thanks for the work and dedication of the NASAA Organic and NCO teams and have every confidence in our Board, GM and staff moving forward to provide an enhanced, quality service and deliver on our organisational ambitions.

in the Ukraine, climate-related disaster from drought to fire to flood, and subsequent rises in cost of fuel, food, rent and other living expenses, and bank interest rates. We also had major changes at the Board of NASAA Organic and NCO, and staff changes. All this has slowed but not curtailed the delivery of some ambitions for the organisation. A little later than anticipated, NASAA Organic has finalised a draft strategic plan, commenced review and updating of the NASAA Organic Standard (NOS) and development of a regenerative organic agriculture standard, and continued to represent industry through participation in various forums, training and development, publicity and events. The NASAA Organic Board has continued to clarify our policy stance on various organic industry matters such as the structure of management committees for the NOS, management of the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce (The National Standard), support for an organic industry peak body, and domestic regulation of organic. Board governance at NASAA organic has continued to improve, with major changes made within NCO that have improved efficiency, increased financial control and stability, ensured compliance with accreditation obligations, and created a steady platform for growth, in an increasingly congested, complex, and competitive certification landscape. In a chemically and climate challenged world, organic has never been more important. Within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Organic directly and positively contributes to at least 11, including climate change abatement and amelioration and preservation of biodiversity. We must continue to present these SDG benefits of organic to industry, Government, and consumers.

TimMarshall / NASAA Organic Chair