Demeter is a world wide certification system, used to verify to the consumers in over 50 countries that food or product has been produced by biodynamic methods. The Bio Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association is the certifier in New Zealand. (The Association registered Demeter as a certification trademark in 1984.) Inspectors visit the operators (farmers and processors) annually to collect information about their methods. A committee of assessors then decides whether to grant certification. Most committee members are experienced biodynamic farmers and/or processors. The Demeter Standards are a published statement of the allowed and the required practices for certified biodynamic operators. All persons working towards Demeter certification are recommended to obtain a copy from the Bio Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association. Any questions they raise can be referred to the Association office. How to get certification
Join the Bio Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association. Farmers: - Learn and practise biodynamic methods on your farm.
- Obtain a Farm Questionnaire from the Association's office.
- Complete the questionnaire to request a visit from Association's farm adviser and begin the stand-down year.
The visit of the farm adviser can be starting point for your formal progress towards certification if you work to the published Demeter standards. This visit is one of the criteria for beginning the stand-down year. Processors: - Obtain processing guidelines from the Association office.
- Submit a letter of application accompanied by a detailed description of proposed processing methods.
Some requirements for processing - Raw produce certified Demeter or Transition Demeter.
- Appropriate processing methods to preserve biodynamic quality.
- Fail safe systems to prevent mixing in of uncertified produce. (This is just an outline - refer to office for exact requirements.)
Some requirements of the farming standards
A stand-down year during which your farm is converted to biodynamic methods
- That you stop using synthetic water soluble fertilisers, and stop most synthetic pesticides, herbicides and animal remedies.
- Application of biodynamic preparation 500 - preferably twice annually.
- Use of the biodynamic compost preparations in all fermented organic manures. including compost and liquid brews.
- A plan for converting the whole farm within seven years.
This above is just an outline - refer to standards for exact requirements. After the stand-down year
The farmer requests a farm Annual Report form plus copies of the
Farm Profile template and the Management Plan template from the
Association. After the completed Annual Report form is returned
along with a Farm Profile and a Management Plan, the Association's
inspector visits. The inspector's report, and the farmer's own
annual report are assessed. If all is in order, certification
- usually In Conversion to Demeter - will be offered along with
a contract. The process is repeated the next year. Current certification
holders are sent annual forms automatically - they do not have
to reapply. After three years farming to the standards Full Demeter
may be offered.
If a year or more of inspection or reporting is missed, the Association reserves the right to require extra information and fees or to withhold certification until an acceptable continuous history of inspection is re-established. Full Demeter certification is normally required for exporting. What does it cost?
- Annual inspection and licensing fee is $475 in the first year
and $425 after that, including GST, travel costs and prompt
filing discount. Applies to both farmers and processors.
- Levies are paid on all produce sold as Demeter or Transition
Demeter.
- Levies are 1/2% on sales in first year
of certification, 1% after that.
- Farmer's levy is based on farm-gate value at time of sale.
Processor's levy is based on value added.
For further information please contact:
David Wright
Secretary, Demeter New Zealand
P.O. Box 39045, Wellington Mail Centre, New Zealand
Phone 0-4-589 5366, fax 0-4-589 5365, email: demeter@biodynamic.org.nz
Demeter
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