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Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation |
Australian Organics is a joint newsletter of RIRDC and OFA. It is distributed quarterly by direct mail to 4,500 researchers, industry, government, farmers, libraries and consultants. Contributions are welcome.
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Twice a week Katrina Tucker,manager/ owner of Barramond Spice Farm in Darwin-rural sends fresh punnets of aromatic leaves - curry, kaffir lime, horseradish, cinnamon –and jalapeno chillies to the Sydney market.
A small quantity is sold locally,through
a weekend market stall.Exotic spice plants are propagated and sold from
the farm.
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Annette and Fred Meyering of Elizabeth River Farm, see exciting opportunities for organic spice and herb production. |
Vast scope for spices
These culinary leaves come from 400 trees,mostly kaffir lime and curry trees,but also cinnamon,bay,carob, cardamon,galangal,tamarind,vanilla, black pepper,betel pepper, horseradish and coffee bushes.
"The rich and varied agro-climatic condition and zones in Darwin-rural (the Top End)offers vast scope for commercial production of a large variety of tropical spices,"says Katrina who is pioneering organic- biodynamic spice growing and processing.
"We have basically two main seasons –the Wet (humid summer) and the Dry (winter).This makes us suitable for all-year-round tropical - Asian herbs, vegetables, and spices.
However,in most ‘winters ’ we can also grow southern herbs and vegetables." This dynamic horticulturalist,who is also the NT President of Women In Agriculture,has researched the spice market overseas and believes there is "encouraging room for growth ".
Another market gardener who also sees exciting opportunities for organic spice production and herbs is Annette Meyering who,with husband Fred,own Elizabeth River Farm.They are growing mostly tropical herbs and spices (tumeric,ginger,chillies)and plan to make chillie paste and other base stocks.
Organic mangoes
But the mainstay of Elizabeth River Farm,Barramond (Spice)Farm and also Sue &Lloyd Pierce ’s Elizabeth Valley Organic Mangoes is still mangoes.
Mango is also the only crop on all the other six certified organic and in- conversion farms in Darwin and rural.
John &Caroline Etty of Wilderness Farms in Katherine (300 kms from Darwin)are the only certified organic vegetable growers in the Top End.
These three farms are not only pioneers in organic growing but their owners are also creating farm products.
Organic wine
"Elizabeth River Farm will have ‘Winery ’ added to it,"said Fred Meyering who is brewing 1,000 litres of mango wine (about 1,300 bottles retailing for $15 each).Last August Fred sold his entire stock at the DPIF Open Day.
The wine comes from about 600 mango trees in the ten acres Fred and Annette have under organic cultivation for the past four years.
The farm has also been planted with 700 banana trees – the bananas are sold fresh in the local market and Fred is also experimenting with banana wine.
While Fred has used his first grade mangoes for the wine ("I can ’t afford hot water dipping "), the Pierces have been turning their second grade mango into Organic Mango Icee Bars (pure, all-fruit bars)and also sliced frozen blocks.
They have nearly 700 mango trees and have been certified organic since 1991,and biodynamic last year.
All three farmers see tremendous growth opportunities in the organic markets:locally,interstate and overseas.In fact, Lloyd said that last year,for the first time,when he sold his fruit interstate it was sold as organic,with a premium.
Glut limits market
But Lloyd and Sue Pierce see a market limitation for fresh and organic mangoes in the interstate markets,simply because of the sheer volume coming on stream within a few short weeks.
"This year we expect a bumper crop and may have difficulty selling the fresh fruit interstate –it could be a matter of wholesalers not being able to handle the volume," Sue Pierce said.
There is now such mega-scale growing of mangoes in the Top End (400+orchards with many more thousands of mango trees being planted),that Barramond Farm,which has 1,000 mango trees, is "converting to organics as it ’s the only way to survive the glut in the coming years. "
Solution:create new products
All three farms have not only had to create their own products,and solve the costly problems associated with quarantine regulations arising from fruit fly outbreaks (i.e hot-water dipping instead of chemical dips),but they also do all the design,packaging and marketing of their processed products.This is because the NT horticultural association (NTHA) and DPIF have yet to see ‘organics’ as being worth developing.
Overseas markets
However,the opportunity for export of fresh fruit (and processed mangoes)is certainly there.The demand for organic fruit, especially mangoes in Singapore, is very strong.Europe, particularly Germany, and Japan are also potentially good markets but we need government assistance to develop these.
Betty L Khoo
I’m seeing it every day and I ’m sure you are too.
The rising current of media items about organic foods. It was a novelty thing to mainstream foodies three years ago.
Look beyond our home markets.New organic rules are now coming into force in the US and Japan.The Asian press is buzzing with the news from China that their billion odd tea drinkers are voting for organic as part of farming ’s future (1).
Sure, world consumer anxiety is partly fueled by GMOs, BSE, CJDv and all.But both the issues and media sources are broader now and the commentary is by people who are obviously well researched and come from a broader agrifood experience.As we go forward the link between organic farming systems and environmental management is increasingly credible to the person in the street.
For all this positive news though,investment in organic farming systems is still constrained by lack of clarity on certification in our domestic market.In five years time when there are 2,500-3,000 certified Australian farmers and retail sales (including exports) are approaching one billion dollars (2) , will we have raised our own credibility in the eyes of domestic consumers and export customers?
As a first world farmer with an internationally respected National Organic Standard,and strong current prices for clean food and fibre exports,we are baulking at locking in a competitive advantage that is ours for the taking.
Last week the RIRDC Organic R&D Advisory Committee considered proposals for funding from 1 July 2001.Advices are currently going out to researchers.
One national project approved in horticulture was the development of better production systems for new apple varieties.Of the $1.2 million committed to the project over five years by Horticulture Australia Ltd and the Australian Apple and Pear Growers,RIRDC will contribute a further $50,000.
The committee is very keen to gear its R&D investments into such mainstream food systems wherever strategically possible.
1 Far Eastern Economic
Review,22 Feb,2001,page 44
2 See the revised
RIRDC Organic 5 Year Plan 2001 –2006 soon to be published and at www.rirdc.gov.au.
Denise Millar (organic
produce)
Ph: (03) 9882
5910, fax: (02) 9882
5917
Mobile: 0419 599 294, Email:
denise.millar@bigpond.com
Address: PO Box 4776, KINGSTON
ACT 2604
Improving Organics - National Policy Meeting of State Agencies
Fifteen people from the State and Federal departments, the OFA and RIRDC met in Melbourne in January to look at common issues and better ways to service the needs of the organic industry.
Gerry Parlevliet (Ag WA) with Scott
Kinnear (OFA) convened the event.
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Representatives from around the nation discussed better ways to service the needs of the organic industry. |
Input from all states indicates a growing level of support by State and Federal governments,both in cash support for industry and in staff availability. Industry development and marketing are the dominant areas of effort,and not so much into organic industry research.
For example Sue Titcumb said Victoria, one of the most advanced organic states, is actively facilitating more efficient organic supply chain management.
Ian Lewis from South Australia highlighted his state ’s focus initially on horticulture and viticulture development through export enhancement with support from the Federal Government ’s Supermarket to Asia Program.
Tania Bauman and Emma Cockroft from Queensland DPI spoke of the need for greater information for traditional enterprises to build awareness of the organic market opportunities,here and overseas.This also needs better national policy development for domestic marketing,a issue that Karyn Nina Olsen,an acting Executive Director in QDPI,will progress with support from other states.
Alan Edwards, Manager – Innovation and Competitiveness Food Group, is the organics contact in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia (AFFA), the Federal agency based in Canberra.
RIRDC, represented by Rod May and Ewan, currently is the prime federal agency facilitating organic industry development.Gary Luckman from AQIS represented the major regulator in the industry.
Chris Brunswick-Hullock,is the main contact for Tasmania.Chris spoke of the lack of resources to undertake research and industry development – an issue common to all states and the need for collaboration of states and the federal government as much as possible.A current initiative is a more formal coalition with industry and certification bodies.
It is clear that NSW has taken considerable steps to ramp up its organic industry activities.Helen Scott-Orr is Executive Director – Research,Advisory & Education with NSW Agriculture.Helen says Bathurst Research Station (approximately 66 hectares) is now dedicated to organic systems and regular staff will be moved from Bathurst to near the research station.
Robyn Neeson, based at Yanco, is the organic contact for NSW Government.
Austrade were represented by Gary Hullin and Rebecca Ball,who spoke of a very slow but increasing volume of product going export.
Lack of sustainable supply of certified products is a significant problem for their ongoing initiatives in export markets.
The NT Government representative was not able to attend the meeting.
Attendees agreed there is clear need for the combined governments and the OFA to work to more actively raise awareness,boost and share scarce resources and streamline legislation to enable the woder adoption of organic systems.
The Government passed the Gene Technology Bill in December which will establish the Gene Technology Regulator.
The OFA was involved in extensive lobbying on this legislation and despite our best efforts the Bill has failed to protect the rights of organic farmers.
The Bill has in effect passed the issue of contamination onto the State Governments.This provides difficulties for them because there is no direction provided as to how they might protect the rights of organic nd other farmers to produce GE-Free produce.
In Victoria the Government is considering GE-Free zones and in T smania there is a moratorium.
The OFA will continue to apply pressure for mendments to the legislation and will also approach State Governments to influence their legislative process.
RIRDC Contact
Merryn
has recently joined the RIRDC Organic Products sub program rea as the new
Program Assistant, following the resignation of Libby Dowler.
If you have any queries on RIRDC organic research projects then please don ’t hesitate to contact Merryn.
Telephone – (02)6272 4205 Email – merrynj@rirdc.gov.au
ORGANIC RESEARCH UPDATE
Weeds - Seeking the Organic Answer
Plants growing out of place,or weeds,as they are affectionately known,have long plagued primary producers throughout Australia.Weeds,especially grass weeds,compete with cereal crops for light,moisture and nutrients,and many species of broad-leafed weeds are successful competitors in our pasture systems.
If we take a broader view of plant systems,there are some attributes of weeds that are positive for producers.
Many weeds are accurate indicators of soil conditions;the presence of sorrel in acid soils is a good example.Some weeds have deep taproots, which work to open up waterlogged soils,ie,dock species. There are many other examples of weeds performing similar indicator roles in our farming systems.But when producers are in the business of growing cereal, legume or oilseed crops, or providing nutritious pasture for livestock,the presence of large numbers of weeds can be highly detrimental to a sustainable system.
In organic farming systems where chemical herbicides are not permitted,the problem of weeds becomes a major challenge for producers.In a recent survey of TopCrop producers in north-east Victoria,weeds were rated as the most important issue if producers were thinking about converting to organic production.When it comes to weeds, certified organic producers are not much different to conventional producers in that they are still trying to grow crops and pastures without too much weed interference.
However,organic producers often take a broader view of weeds as part of a farming ecosystem and attempt to manage the weed population using cultural methods.
Recent information collected about organic methods of weed management has shown that grazing and cultivation are the most widely used methods.The use of crop rotation,cutting hay or silage,fallowing,competitive crops and higher seeding rates are all employed by organic producers to some extent.About one third of organic producers use a green manure as a method of managing weeds (see table).
The advent of herbicide resistance in many weeds has prompted new interest in our knowledge of non-chemical weed management.Two research projects being conducted from Agriculture Victoria -Rutherglen will examine non-chemical weed management strategies in both conventional and organic farming systems.The projects will look at the role of spring forage management on the following wheat crop and the use of strategic heavy grazing with sheep and goats to manage weed seed populations.Research sites are to be established next year in north-east Victoria and in southern New South Wales.
Contact : For more information on these research projects or organic farming systems,please contact Viv Burnett at Agriculture Victoria -Rutherglen on (02)6030 4500.
Weed Management Methods Used by Organic Producers
Key:
| Crop rot.=Crop rotation | Post-sow c =Post sowing cultivation |
| Green M =Green manure | Hand weed =Manual weeding |
| High seed =High seeding rates | Harvest =Collection of weed seeds at harvest |
| Comp.Crop =Competitive crops |
Research into organic weed management at the University of New England by PhD student, Paul Kristiansen,has highlighted the importance of choosing weeding methods that suit the crop,the prevailing conditions on the farm and the resources available to the grower.
Now in the third and final year,field trials have been carried out to assess various weeding methods,alone and in combination,for their ability to suppress weeds without interfering with crop growth.Lettuce (short growing season)and echinacea (long growing season)are being used as the test crops,and the cost of each weeding method or combination is also being recorded so that the different treatments can be economically evaluated.
The techniques being compared are hand-weeding, mechanical cultivation,paper mulch,hay mulch,fallowing and cover crops. Although each method has performed well in at least one aspect,they have also each shown at least one drawback, indicating that detailed weed management solutions need to be developed on a farm by farm basis.
Results from the project, particularly the Organic Weed Management Survey, have been communicated to the organic industry and scientific community during the past year through numerous newsletter articles, a book chapter and two conference presentations. Interest from the public continues, with several phone calls, faxes or emails each month requesting information on specific weed problems.
Further information about the project and organics in general is available from the project’s website (www.une.edu.au/agronomy/weeds/organic).
Contact :
Dr Brian Sindel, University of New
England
Phone: (02)6773-3747, Fax:(02)6773-3238
Email:bsindel@metz.une.edu.au
Organic Farming - Annual Report
The OFA has applied to the RIRDC organic program for support of $5000 to contribute to the research costs to produce an inaugural Australian Organic Farming Report.
The total cost of the project research is expected to be about $10,000 with half being funded by contribution of the project coordinator.The other costs of the project will be design and layout and printing of 2500 copies which is expected to be in the vicinity of $15-20,000.
This report will be invaluable in profiling of the organic / biodynamic industry and the benefits to the community and environment.Copies of the report will be distributed to relevant parliamentarians,bureaucrats and media.It will also be sold by the OFA to interested buyers.
The OFA is looking for a major sponsor from industry for the plan and any interested company can contact the office on 02 9299 8016 or info@ofa.org.au.
OFA NEWS News from Around Australia
Supplied by the Organic Federation of Australia
Victoria
Fiona Chambers
An industry steering committee is being formed to guide the future direction of organic projects in Victoria.
Contact Sue Titcumb,(0409)015 860.
"Naturally Victorian "funded organic projects are underway in Victoria.9ha of DNRE land in Rutherglen and 1ha in the Wimmera are currently in conversion to organic.Projects on these plots will focus on organic wheat and canola trials.Contact Viv Burnett on (02) 6030 4500.
In Irymple,projects focusing on organic citrus and carrot production are underway.A 1.1ha citrus block and a 0.9ha block for carrot trials have been set aside and are currently in conversion to organic.Contact David Madge on (03)5051 4557.
An Organic Food Fair is being held at Flemmington Racecourse on Saturday 31st March and Sunday 1st April.40,000 people are expected to attend.Contact Melissa or Heather on (03)9412 4220.
Organic Farmers Markets are being established around Victoria.All stall holders must be certified organic or in conversion to attend.The Ballarat Farmers Market is being held every first and third Saturday in the month.
Contact: Fiona Chambers (03) 5348 5566.
A metropolitan Organic Market is also
now being held every Saturday morning at Brunswick East. Contact CERES
on (03)9387 2609.
_____________
Gippsland Organic Livestock Inorporated
(GOLI) have received their funding to complete their strategic industry
plan for an organic meat industry in the region.Work is underway.Contact
Gerhard Grasser (03)5627 8663.
_____________
South Australia
David Bruer
Apple season has blossomed on us with good supplies of excellent quality new season apples.Increased demand and supply of pears is also good news.
Research at Waite Institute has shown good control of powdery mildue on grapes with skim milk or whey.Both are cheap and offer protective and eradicant properties.
Officers of PIRSA are investigating opportunities for export in wine,apples and citrus before trying to get private companies to convert to organic practices.While no full time person is available yet,a small percentage of people will be committed.
Lack of domestic legislation is a continuing problem,undermining the integrity of the industry,with non certified retailers and wholesalers causing concern.Shoppers at certified retail outlets are becoming increasingly convinced of the correctness of their purchasing preferences with each new crisis in the agritech /biotech industries.
Several retailers commented on the
increasing range of organic produce, which is being welcomed by consumers.One
exporter commented on slow sales,due to cheaper interstate freight rates.The
demand for wine, especially red,is very strong.
Western Australia
Mark Ucich
The number of certified organic/ biodynamic farmers is growing steadily with the total number now around 160.
This however has not translated into better supply of horticultural product into the fresh produce market.The shoppies and wholesalers alike are reporting shortfalls of basic salad lines and some stonefruit.
Very good supplies of potatoes, onions,carrots,pumpkin and broccoli are just around the corner;something WA has not had in past years.
Agriculture Western Australia is continuing to service the growing interest in organics by partnering interested groups in putting on seminars.
Tasmania
Greg Whitten
In order to help foster the development of Tasmania ’s organic industry a number of organisations with an involvement in commercial organic production in Tasmania have come together to form a peak body to be known as the Organic Coalition of Tasmania (OCT).
Previous to this the organic industry in Tasmania was perceived as being fragmented,and it was difficult for people to know who to talk to and how many farmers they represented.
OCT does not intend to touch certification issues which it is felt are more appropriately dealt with on a national level.
A comprehensive document outlining the Tasmanian organic industry ’s position on gene technology and the prospects for a GE free Tasmania has been prepared by OCT and submitted to the government.
There is a strong feeling of good will among the delegates and an awareness that by working together we can achieve outcomes which would be otherwise be unattainable.
New South Wales
Catriona Macmillan
In the city of Sydney the produce markets
are still keen to have organic produce:
Unfortunately the Organic Exhibit
for the NSW Royal Easter Show will not go ahead this year.However there
will be an organic cluster of food stands.Contact Christian at the RAS
on 9704 1111 for available space and rates.
A proposal has been sent to Regional Solutions Funding by the Riverina Food Group to develop an organic production and processing industry in the Riverina.If successful, this would mean employing a full time technical officer.It seems that the costs of employing a full-time person precludes success in research applications.Any rich benefactors would be welcome!!!!Contact obyn Neeson at Yanco on 02 6951 2735 or Helen Scott Orr at Bathurst on 02 6391 3320.
Meanwhile, Bathurst ’s Organic Research Centre is full steam ahead.
Karen O ’Malley has been appointed in the organic extension role.
A Natural Products Network was established in August 2000.The network is not just certified organic growers but a grassroots incorporated association promoting the use of ecologically sustainable farming systems. Contact statham@westserv.net.au
Tweed Richmond Organic News: Many local groups celebrated the first birthday of the Rainbow Region Organic Markets in Lismore.The market has grown steadily since its inception.
We ’ve just had some fun running our inaugural ‘tastiest tomato ’and ‘best tomato recipe with sample ’ competition,which was open to backyard and conventional growers as well.Towards June we ’re hosting the tastiest pumpkin competition.
Growers held a successful organic market as part of the ‘Taste of Byron ’ street festival and were in turn thoroughly entertained.Byron Bay is the muted venue for our next certified organic market.
Northern Territory
Ken Wood
The non-organic mango industry was hit by a disaster,consequence of not following HACCP,that threatened to wipe out most growers.The problem is still there.Organic growers in the Territory are worried about negotiated prices from Melbourne and Brisbane which were not honored by some wholesalers.
Organic Asian cooking mangos had to be dumped because of lack of interest or prices paid below non- organic mangoes e.g.Sydney prices at the market quoted at $2.50 per kilo for non-organic product as a guide for the organic pricing point.This highlights the need for stronger marketing commitment between remote area growers and wholesalers.
Queensland
Andy Monk
Government departments are continuing to play a key role in communication and development of the organic industry for Queensland.
Queensland continues to be the land of extremes –having by far the most certified land in the country and endowed with great potential to continue its current growth spurt across most primary sectors.
Weather fluctuations,swinging from scarcity to flood on markets,are wreaking havoc with producer bottom lines.This is signalling two key things: a)that organics is still a fickle and small market prone to easy flooding; and b)that getting supply consistent and at a good quality appear to continue to be the key issues relating to future potential growth for the industry.
The meat sector is now beginning to reap the rewards of many years of development and investment by producer groups. Still in the wings for future flight are meat chickens,dairy, honey,sugar and significant potential for horticultural expansion. Such growth will be reliant upon value added products,and the continued move by larger processors and retailers into the organic realm – lending an element of "critical mass "to this industry.
On the local side, the establishment of farmers markets,particularly in Brisbane,has been taken up with great voracity by willing consumers. While pitched at an eclectic audience,the insertion of organic into the "local "is both logical and highlights a niche marketing opportunity of value adding for organic producers.
Catriona Macmillan has been appointed to manage the Organic Conference,replacing Lisa Palu (thank you Lisa for your early work) Catriona has 18 years experience in organics.She is well regarded by industry and brings clear can-do skills in putting events of this scale together.
She produces the annual Organic Directories and has successfully developed a number of organic industry exhibits,promotions and events.
Originally a documentary production manager in the film industry,Catriona has,in recent years worked with the Ecology Programs of the Olympic Coordination Authority (OCA). Part of that work involved the staging of a 1998 Forum Series.
She is currently preparing the final forum of the series, An Olympic Environmental Legacy:the Enhanced Remediation Strategy .
As manager of the Ecology Programs Advocacy Project,Catriona also produced the Olympic Neighbours Day 1999 & Neighbours Day 2000 ,both held at the Homebush Bay Olympic site.
Catriona and Andy Monk (a.monk@bigpond.com)are interested in talking to potential sponsors for Conference sessions and the OFA Organic Awards.
Contact : Phone/Fax:02 9365 7668 Mobile 0402 404 361 Email: catrionamac@optusnet.com.au
A presentation to the IFOAM Scientific Conference can be lost among over 800 others,but RIRDC-sponsored Rod May drew a crowd of interested folk from around the world to hear a paper presented along with several others from the Asia Pacific about the state of their organic nation.
Australian input The Australian team in Basel was a diverse dozen which included RIRDC-funded Scott Kinnear who joined in at least one working party and participated in the General Assembly.
The last of the IFOAM scientific conferences to be held (in the future they will be world Assemblies),this event was a spectacular celebration of the growing impetus of the organic movement worldwide,but not without the depth and discipline of an event that perhaps only the Swiss can organise.
Research methodology The research agenda was high on the profile of the conference and being hosted in large part by Fibl, (the Swiss Organic Research Institute),the scope of subject material was extensive.
Research methodology was often refreshingly based in highly participatory projects involving the agricultural community,and often highly innovative,especially in its attempts to deal with integrated production systems.This is not to say that organic research is itself always of an integrated nature and some criticism of the repetition of highly reductionist research in organic agriculture was forthcoming.
European organic research Research in Europe into organic farming was,not unlike Australia, first carried out by farmers.They have been joined for many decades by private institutions and organisations,but it is quite clear now that the most rapidly growing research sectors are the universities and Government agencies,whose involvement in Organic research has skyrocketed in the past decade.
Big interest in Australia The involvement of RIRDC in the global organic R&D initiative is an important one,and following a successful bid made at this conference,will be given the opportunity to present itself to the world in 2005 when the IFOAM World congress will be held in Adelaide.
There is an intense curiosity held by the Northern Hemisphere regarding organic production in Australia and the Australian organic R&D sector may also find interest from our Southern neighbours in relevant organic projects.
Self-regulation The strategic development of the organic industry remains a dynamic process however,with the largest growing food sector now propelling a still relatively grass roots driven sector.
The retention of self regulation of the organic industry was seen by many at the conference as the most critical issue of this new decade with the IFOAM group of members from over 100 nations and its various standards and accreditation bodies as the instruments of this private guarantee.
Apparently this message is becoming a factor with one major supermarket chain announcing that they will soon only buy from IFOAM suppliers.
Rod May
The OFA as previously reported is well underway in this project funded by the Department of Transport and Regional Development.A consultant has prepared a draft strategic plan which is available on our website for download (put in URL ).
The plan was developed after face to face and targetted consultations around Australia.Comments on the plan are welcomed if possible by the end of March,otherwise they will be used and integrated throughout the year.
The next stage of the project is the employment of a project coordinator to facilitate the second phase which is implementation of key elements of the strategic plan.This person should be employed as this newsletter goes to print.
Key aspects
The six key aspects to the strategic
plan are:
Project co-ordinator
The initial work of the project coordinator
will be to:
2.Stronger liaison with certification
and standards groups.
3.A national production growth policy that will satisfy Industry targets of a 400%production increase by 2006.
4.A national marketing policy that
will include,but not be restricted to,promoting export growth.
Scott Kinnear Chairman, OFA
The OFA has established its office in Sydney and employed a part-time administrator, Joanne Dodd.
The new office contact details are Ph 02 9299 8016, Fax 02 9299 0189 and email:info@ofa.org.au.
Accredited Industry Organisations
The following seven organisations are accredited by the Australian Quarantine
Inspection Service (AQIS, phone 02 6272 4164, email: organic@aqis.gov.au)
and meet the “National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce”.
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Bio-Dynamic Research Institute
POWELLTOWN VIC 3797 Phone: 03 5966 7333 Fax:: 03 5966 7433 Biological Farmers of Australia Co-Operative Ltd
Organic Herb Growers of Australia Inc
Organic Food Chain
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National Association for Sustainable Agriculture
(Australia) Ltd
PO Box 768 STIRLING SA 5152 Phone: 08 8370 8455 Fax: 08 8370 8381 Email: nasaa@dove.mtx.net.au Organic Vignerons Association of Australia Inc
Eco-Organics of Australia
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| NON-ACCREDITED ORGANISATIONS | |||||
| Organic Retailers & Growers Association of Australia
PO Box 12852, MELBOURNE VIC 3000 Phone: 03 9737 9799; Fax: 03 9737 9499 Tollfree: 1 800 356 299 |
Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Assoc. of Australia
PO Box 54, Bellingen NSW 2454 Phone/Fax: 02 6655 8551 Email: poss@midcoast.com.au |
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| Libby Blackett-Smith
-
Austrade - 03 9284 3275; Fx: 03 9284 3116 Peter White - QDPI Director
Lindsay Coghill QDPI
Helen Scott-Orr - NSW Ag
Robyn Neeson - NSW Ag
Chris Brunswick-Hullock -
Tas
Victoria:
|
SA:
Appointment Gerry Parlevliet - Ag WA 08 9368 3219; Fx: 08 9368 3946 NT:
Andy Carroll - AQIS
Scott Kinnear - Chairman
OFA -
Andy Monk
June Murphy, Program Assistant
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Last updated: 16 May 2001
Copyright © RIRDC
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/mar01.html
