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Bio-Gro
New Zealand Ltd - New Zealand
The New Zealand Biological Producers and Consumers Council (trading as BIO-GRO NZ) was first incorporated in 1983. Its aims are to promote and support biological husbandry and the production and consumption of organic products. Part of this work involves the maintenance and development of the BIO-GRO Organic Standards and the provision of organic certification.
BIO-GRO published its first standards in 1984 and the first certifications against this standard were made the same year. BIO-GRO became a member of IFOAM in 1986, and was first IFOAM Accredited in 1997. BIO-GRO's most rapid growth period was from 1995 to 2001, when a large number of kiwifruit and pipfruit orchards converted to organics, and significant growth continues in other sectors such as processing, dairy, and vineyards and wine.
BIO-GRO is an Incorporated Society, registered in New Zealand. It is a not for profit, membership organisation with an elected Board of Directors, and paid staff. BIO-GRO's certified operators (licensees) are able to use the BIO-GRO logo on their products, and also the IFOAM Seal if they wish.
A certification panel of staff members is charged with making day to day certification decisions, but ultimate authority rests with a stakeholder based certification committee which exercises monitoring and oversight of the certification panel, and makes any precedent decisions. An appeals committee, a sub-committee of the Board, deals with operator appeals against decisions.
BIO-GRO certification is provided by BioGro NZ Ltd, a company, which is wholly owned by the NZ Biological Producers and Consumers Council. BioGro NZ Ltd carries out all the audits and certificate decision and issue for the approximately 700 operations which have BIO-GRO certification in New Zealand, Niue, and the Cook Islands.
BIO-GRO certified operators produce a host of products that are sold domestically and internationally.
BIO-GRO's IFOAM Accredited certification programme covers the categories of crop production, livestock, processing and handling, retail, input manufacturing, wild harvest, grower groups, and certification transference. Certification and programmes offered outside of the IFOAM programme are fibre processing, aquaculture, wild game, USDA NOP, health and body care, water, salt, and their NZ domestic programme.
Ms Michelle Glogau - CEO
Mr Seager Mason - Technical Director
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Last updated:
31/01/2008
BIO-GRO New Zealand
PO Box 9693,
Marion Square
Wellington 6031
New Zealand
Tel: +64 4 801 9741 Fax: +64 4 801 9742
Email: info@bio-gro.co.nz
Web: www.bio-gro.co.nz
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