Newsletter December 2020

Message from the Chair of OIA Ltd

As we come to the end of 2020, it provides an opportunity for us to reflect on just how significant Australia’s collective response has been to the new year bushfires & the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since November 2019, ORICoop, an OIA member, has worked tirelessly with organic and biodynamic farmers directly affected by the bushfires across Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. Thanks to the generosity of many, they raised over $89,000 through their Organic Farmers Bushfire Appeal. In addition, Government grant programs have delivered much-needed support to bushfire affected communities and businesses.

We are fortunate to have a health system that has been able to respond to cases of Covid-19 in our community and from returning travellers. Many businesses have been able to access some form of Government support, either through Job Keeper or Cashflow Boost. Many manufacturers have been deemed as essential services and have overwhelmingly been able to keep operating. Trucks have been free to move goods across state borders albeit with significant logistics challenges. Demand for home-grown food and fibre has sky-rocketed and many of our farmers are enjoying good returns.

But a lack of access to reliable sea and air cargo options has severely impacted our exporters ability to remain competitive in export markets. Industrial action in ports has had a ripple effect on the movement of goods to and from Australia which has led to a negative impact on the cashflow of many businesses.

Organic operators and supply chain partners have been party to the challenges and opportunities that the bushfires and Covid-19 have presented. Through all of the above, OIA has still managed to make progress on matters which are important to us.

We’ve had a number meetings with the Government and work particularly well with the Department of Agriculture.
We have been lobbying the Government over improved accountability and transparency arrangements for industry regulation.
We played a significant role in lobbying against the deregulation of gene technology in the second half of 2019.
We made a submission to the Australian Government’s review of Research and Development Corporation system.
We lobbied the Government to allow working holiday visa holders to be recognized for volunteer work on organic and biodynamic farms.
We supported an Australian-led Oceania bid to host the 2023 organic World Congress in Brisbane. This is now being refined to rebid for the deferred 2024 World Congress.

We have been quietly lobbying government around several themes.

We need consistency of regulation across domestic and export markets
We need to lift the standard of regulation to improve the confidence of producers, consumers and export markets in Australia’s organic produce
1. We need to review domestic (including import) and export regulatory arrangements
2. We need to review the effectiveness and professionalism of how those regulatory arrangements are implemented

We expect to work with the Government through 2021 on options to reform industry regulation:

We are developing a process for this that will engage all organic operators in our industry
1. this will likely involve information papers, online forums, surveys, and teleconference-based workshops
2. at the core of this is a conversation around the National Standard versus AS6000

Above all else, we need to focus on the best interests of Australia’s current and future organic producers.

We have an organisation which is now firmly established and which generates sufficient revenue to sustain volunteer-based activities. We need strategies to lift revenues to sustain the hiring of a CEO and a policy capability. This is going to be vital to ensure we are sustainable as the industry peak body.

At the AGM earlier this month, we welcomed a number of new Directors to our board. You can learn more about our diverse and experienced Board of Directors here.

OIA always acts in the interests of all certified organic operators.

Our Board wishes you a safe and happy Christmas wherever you may be in Australia.

Dalene Wray
Chair, Organic Industries of Australia