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Naturland
e.V. - Germany
The objective and mission of Naturland is the worldwide
conservation of the environment and the maintenance of the natural basis of
life by means of organic farming and processing based on the Naturland
standards. Naturland was the first German certification body to be IFOAM
Accredited in 1997.
Naturland is a non-profit organisation with charitable
status which was founded in 1982 by a group of 10 scientists,
agriculturists and consumers. A trademark was registered in 1984 and the
next year they opened their office in Gräfelfing, in the suburbs of Munich,
where their headquarters remains today.
Naturland's structure consists of a centralized head
office in Gräfelfing and regional offices/ representatives nationally as
well as internationally. Naturland's activities in Germany and worldwide
comprise the development of organic standards, the organisation of
inspection, certification according to Naturland standards, public relations
and lobby work. The regional offices and the sector specific groups (e.g.
vintners) provide services to members. The Naturland Assembly of Delegates (AoD)
determines the policies and the current objectives of the association.
Delegates for the AoD are elected (by proportional representation) on annual
assemblies of Naturland members in the different regions.
There are two other structures: Naturland Zeichen GmbH is
responsible on behalf of Naturland for the registration, promotion and use
of the Naturland logo and the Naturland marketing companies, who are groups
of producers in Germany which market their produce under the Naturland logo.
Naturland assigns a number of partners (inspection bodies) to perform
inspections.
Naturland are very active internationally with certified
operators in over 30 countries. In partnership with IMO they have
contributed much to the development of smallholder certification in
developing countries.
Naturland's IFOAM accreditation of their Naturland
Organic worldwide programme covers crop production, livestock, wild
products, processing and handling, input manufacturing, grower groups but
excludes their activity in aquaculture and forest management. Naturland hold
an ISO65 accreditation and have been approved by the USDA to run a US NOP
Programme, which is excluded from their IFOAM Accreditation.
Mr Steffen Reese - Managing Director
Ms Christina Reifenrath - Quality Manager |
