August 2022 Update - Organic Sector Strategy Action Groups

2022-2025 ORGANIC SECTOR ACTION GROUPS

Each month OANZ volunteers meet to discuss and drive forward the 2022—2025 Organic Sector Strategy and the priority sector-wide projects:

  • Establish an organic farmer extension programme

  • Increase consumer recognition of organic as an effective environmental and nutritional solution

  • Create an organic ecosystem database

  • Build partnerships and collaborations between the organic sector and other agricultural industries

  • Support the development and implementation of the Organic Products Bill, standards and regulations

Each Action Group is working towards a goal of September 23rd, when they will form a panel, present their work to date and engage the audience in a discussion about the future of each project and organics in Aotearoa. Find out more about the OANZ Organic Action Day and get tickets below:

Updated on 9 August 2022

Project: Establish an Organic Farmer Extension Programme

Purpose: Create a specific organic programme that focuses on solutions for organic agriculture to improve the mental health of organic farmers who have felt marginalised; Assist current and potential organic farmers in increasing their effectiveness and knowledge of organics; Help move all farmers away from synthetic nitrogen, harmful pesticides and herbicides and move towards practices that better work with nature and sequester more carbon.

Update: The last meeting took place on 12 July, Chaired by Christina Robinson, Global Extension Lead - Sustainability at Zespri and helped to prepare an "extension stocktake”. Attendees of this meeting reviewed & provided input into a draft questionnaire. The final questions were formatted into an online survey. On Wednesday 18 July, OANZ sent the survey to Sector groups that represent organic producers to complete.

Christina will compile the results and present them at the next group meeting which will take place in August. The goal of this data is to lay out a framework that OANZ can use to apply for extension programme funding. OANZ will be seeking two rounds of funding: 1) to create the extension programme/s itself, and 2) to implement the programme/s.

• Sector group survey: https://www.getfeedback.com/r/kQCR8Z1D

• Individual producer survey: https://www.getfeedback.com/r/5eDuHRMG

• Auditor survey: https://www.getfeedback.com/r/OW32OpmR

    • Farmers are educated and able to communicate the benefits of organic production, enticing a new generation of farmers

    • Increased knowledge transfer by farm advisors and farmers

    • Regenerative agriculture and organics are more aligned and collaborative

    • Practical mentoring, discussion groups and organic ambassadors

    • Pathways created to grow the next generations of Māori organic producers and farmers

    • Implementation and uptake of Hua Parakore is supported

    • Māori use of mātauranga Māori to support the distinctiveness of Māori participation in organics

    • Increased organic production supply to meet global demand

    • Confirm Participation: Identify those organisations and groups that want to collaborate. Clarify their desired roles and relationship in an Extension programme

    • Identify Extension Programme funding opportunities: Identify potential extension programme funding options and their investment conditions. Clarify the resource needs for the development of extension programme and a funding application. Obtain the resources/commitment for facilitating the above

    • Design the Extension programme and prepare the funding application: Obtain feedback from the Group to identify generic extension as well as sector specific extension needs. Collaboratively design the extension programme. Facilitate wider sector consultation on draft extension programme plan. Develop funding proposal

    • Programme Implementation

  • This group is seeking funding to design an extension programme. OANZ CEO, Tiffany Tompkins has met with MPI to understand which funds may be the most appropriate to apply for. The Action groups will start working on the principles behind the design and application foundations. 

  • Chair - Jon Manhire (The AgriBusiness Group)

    Secretary - Christina Robinson (Zespri- Global Extension Lead Sustainability)

Project: Increase Consumer Recognition of Organic as an Effective Environmental and Nutritional Solution

Purpose: Identify the sector's "WHY". Determine how best to communicate organics to consumers, farmers and the government.

Update: This group is meeting fortnightly via zoom. This group has formulated desired outcomes and a draft plan.

This group has been working hard at understanding what types of messaging about “Why Organic” resonates with consumers. By looking at demographics from the Organic Market Report: 50% split between male/female; 32% consumers aged 25 to 39; 20% consumers aged 15 to 24, this group decided that key messaging should revolve around Climate Change, Health & Wellness and the Environment. The group has also researched the available science that has taken place in NZ that could be used to back up the benefits of organics. Unfortunately there isn’t a lot of NZ-based science, but the good news is that there is a lot of data around the world that we can use.

We look forward to hearing the group’s favourite key phrases to answer the question, “Why Organic” and next steps at our September event.

Please note that this group has voiced their concern about a lack of Māori representation and inclusion in the conversations. OANZ has suggested that this group present its findings and current progress to Te Waka Kai Ora and move forward together to continue the development of consumer-focused communications.

    • Increased demand for New Zealand organic products

    • More New Zealand based research and science supporting organic production, ecology and land management

    • Health and environmental benefits of organic agriculture are communicated to consumers, farmers and government

    • Key influencers and spokespeople promote New Zealand’s organic sector across media platforms

    • Increased support for the development of the organic category

    • An organic narrative including mātauranga Māori principles, unique to Aotearoa New Zealand is created for use by producers, brand owners and exporters domestically and in international markets

    • Existing organic campaigns, especially Organic Week, have the opportunity to be built upon

    • New collaborations and structures are established with mainstream media

  • RESEARCH

    • Understanding the current evidence

    • Providing new evidence

    • Key drivers and barriers

    • Understanding sustainability & health benefits


      MĀORI PARTNERSHIP

    • Understanding and integrating the 7 pillars

    • NZ own-able stories

      TARGET AUDIENCE

    • Determining the audience

    • Segmentation and positioning

    • Global or domestic?

    FUNDING

    • Types of funding required and availability

    • Politics behind the accessibility

    COMMUNICATION

    • What is organic?

    • Key messaging

    • Per segment, if required

    • Draw upon research and science

  • Present findings and next steps at the Organic Action Day in September.

  • Chair - Robyn Vickery (BioGro, Marketing & Communications Manager)

    Secretary - Marion Wood (Commonsense Organics & Soil and Health Association)

Project: Create an Organic Ecosystem Database

Purpose: Create a national database for organic resources. The objective is to allow for better sharing of resources across the sector and reduce knowledge and technical barriers to entry.

Update: This group meets weekly and is using a Lean Canvas template as a way to stimulate more discussions and thinking about this project. The team is currently looking at the following areas. Once the Lean Canvas has been finalised, it will be presented and workshopped with participants at the Organic Action Day in Wellington on 23 September.

This project may move forward as part of the organic extension programme.

Target Customers

  1. The Problem

  2. Unique Value Proposition

  3. Your Solution

  4. Channels

  5. Future Revenue/Funding Streams

  6. Funding Ask

  7. Success Metrics

  8. Your Differentiator

  9. Government Value

  10. MPI Value

    • A national database of all organic resources available to all producers in an easy searchable format such as a website or app

    • Allow for better sharing of resources across the sector

    • Knowledge and technical based barriers to entry are reduced

  • Set up an online collaboration board: Create a collaboration board which can show the real time status update, our progress, next steps etc. This board will help us plan and visualise in real time - what will be achieved by when, based on the team velocity of getting things done.

    Defining user personas and value roadmap: We want to set up a session around the objectives for each persona whom we recognise as our customer and stage out the delivery plan to ensure that our group is able to deliver value fast and incremental value which our personas can start utilising early on.

    Identification of skills matrix: We want to identify the skills we need for successful execution of the project.

    Begin implementation and value delivery early on: There may be options for us to create an interim solution which we could start using for the sake of early value delivery to our customers. Once we have funding, we could review the technical backend infrastructure we need for the long run. We will plan it in a manner that anything we do now for the prototype is not wasted and can be reused in some ways.

  • The team will send specific questions to primary producers to better understand their needs, best practices and technological capacity.

  • Chair - Malkiat Singh

Project: Organic Products Bill, Regs and Standards

Purpose: With work on the standard and regulations underway, the sector must communicate best practices and maintain that the new regime is fit-for-purpose.

Update: This action group meets periodically to discuss any outstanding issues it wants to address. The initial issues the group brought up were the makeup of the working groups and advisory council and the terms of reference of these groups. OANZ has subsequently spoken to MPI about these issues and has asked for better communication between MPI and the Organic Sector. OANZ CEO, Tiffany Tomkins meets with MPI’s Organic Regime Project Manager, Tina Murphy fortnightly to discuss MPI's current workload and provides feedback about a Bill, Regs and Standard process map that OANZ has requested. OANZ wants the Sector to be aware of all the processes associated with the organic regime so it can prepare for the next steps ahead of time.

MPI has now started its meetings with Working Group attendees. The first groups met on 4 & 5 August, and the Interim Advisory Council will meet on 22 September in Wellington, the day before the OANZ AGM and Organic Action Day.

Working Group members have been contacted directly by MPI with the date and location details.

OANZ facilitated an MPI zoom updated on 1 August. OANZ members can log in to the Member’s Portal to watch this. (Member’s please email Lou for a password HERE).

    • A technical Committee and Advisory Council are established

    • Standards and regulations support the sector

    • The regime does not add cost to producers, processors or retailers

    • International trade agreements with global certification recognition are established

    • Increased clarity and trust around the use of ‘organic’

    • The Official Organic Assurance Programme has increased data available on markets

    • The Hua Parakore system operates in partnership with the OPB

  • To follow

  • This action group and MPI will be presenting work to date on the Bill, Regs and Standards at the September Organic Action Day event.

  • Chair - Derek Broadmore

    Secretary - Claire Bleakley

Project: Build Ag Industry Partnerships and Collaborations

Purpose: Build upon and develop multi-level partnerships with farmer levy organisations.

Update: This group has had several conversations about networking, building contact databases, and working together to help identify ‘who’s who’ or build stakeholder maps. Recently, the group have invited sector bodies and groups to explain how organics is structured within their organisations.

Organic Winegrowers NZ - Chair, Clive Dougall and Coordinator, Rebecca Reider spoke to the group about OWNZ’s foundation, evolution and changing relationship with the wine industry’s levy body, New Zealand Winegrowers. OWNZ and NZ Winegrowers collaborate on specific projects and key points including labelling and standards, marketing and technology transfers. OWNZ has a representative on the NZ Winegrowers Environment Committee and is trying to get other reps on other NZW committees. NZW provides funding to OWNZ although OWNZ has other revenue streams - memberships, etc. NZW provides support regarding database management, sharing comms and marketing support like mass mail-outs about events and latest news, and accounting.

NZ Winegrowers - GM Sustainability, Edwin Massey spoke to the group about how organics is viewed as part of NZ Winegrower’s sustainability initiatives. The relationship with OWNZ is very important to NZ’s larger sustainability story, it shows what is possible and the success of organic wine is success for everyone. The higher-value of organics aligns with New Zealand’s push for greater higher-value production and a move away from low-level, commodity driven production.

NZ Apples & Pears - Our group’s next speaker is Rachel Kilmister, R&D Programme Manager at NZ Apples and Pears. She will be speaking about the organisation’s move to go spray-free by 2050, how organics is considered in decision-making, and if and how organic production is considered a part of A&P's sustainability initiatives.

Organic Action Day - Speakers Clive Dougall and Ed Massey (above) will present how the relationship between the two organisations has progressed, the give and take of the relationship and how the Sector may work with other levy organisations to encourage more organic cooperation. Get your tickets HERE.

  • Build upon working relationships with HortNZ, Beef&Lamb, NZ Winegrowers and DiaryNZ to support the regenerative organic aspirations of farmers and producers.

    The Organic Sector works with the agritech sector to develop better technological solutions.

  • This group has asked levy bodies and organic organisations working with levy bodies to share their experiences working together. We've asked levy bodies to answer questions regarding how organics is viewed, supported and promoted within the organisation. For instance, is organics a part of the levy organisation's sustainability initiatives? How are the interests of organic producers considered when writing submissions, creating environmental and extension programmes and policy compliance?

  • At the end of Phase 1 the group will present its findings at the 23 September Organic Day of Action.

  • Chair, Tiffany Tompkins, CEO, OANZ

    Secretary, Gaz Ingram, Technical Lead - Organics, Farmlands

OANZ Presents… an Organic Action Day. Each of the Organic Sector Action Groups will form a panel, present their work to date and engage the audience in a discussion about the future of each project and organics in Aotearoa.

Let’s talk about the future of organics in Aotearoa, featuring presentations from sector leaders, panel discussions, guest speaker, Karen Mapusua (IFOAM Organics International), lunch and an opportunity to network with Aotearoa's organic community.

Tickets are on sale now!

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