BFA provides a range of services for the
organic industry, many of them free and
available on this website. Here is a summary of some of the key services BFA provides and links to further information on each.
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SERVICES FOR ORGANIC PRIMARY PRODUCERS
• The Organic Market E-Newsletter is a free email newsletter for primary producers which reports on current prices of organic horticultural produce and organic livestock and market news. In addition, a list of all the latest organic classified advertisements provides organic real estate, land on agistment, livestock and produce ‘for sale’ or ‘wanted’. Click here for more information.
• The Australian Organic Producer Magazine is one of BFA’s quarterly publications available either via subscription or BFA membership. Click here for more information.
• Soil Health/ Organic Growing Workshops. BFA hosts around a dozen workshops in regional centres around Australia each year. Known as the BFA Organic Roadshow, the event is includes talks from renowned soil health specialists and A-Grade organic producers and answers questions on organic production. Click here for more information. Click here for more information.
• Agronomic support and advice is available via the BFA Organic Grower Forum. The forum is available on this website and enables growers to ask questions of other growers, soil health specialists and organic agronomists. In addition, the answers to questions which have been asked via the forum in the past can be searched on using key words. Click here for more information.
• A list of organic farming inputs & livestock health supplements registered by BFA as suitable for use in certified organic farms is updated on a quarterly basis and available free to download.
Click here for more information.
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SERVICES FOR ORGANIC VALUE ADDERS
• Organic Value-adding Workshops are hosted by BFA in major cities around Australia and provide speakers on everything from organic food manufacturing and cosmetics to complying with organic standards, labelling and marketing. Click here for more information.
• Networking Dinners are hosted by BFA in major cities around Australia and are an opportunity to make trade contacts as well as keep informed with developments in the organic industry. Click here for more information.
• The Australian Certified Organic Magazine is one of BFA’s quarterly publications available either via subscription or BFA membership. The magazine is first and foremost a trade magazine however also includes the latest research backing up claims regarding the benefits of organic as well as profiles on successful organic business owners and products.Click here for more information.
• The Organic Advantage e-newsletter is a free newsletter with the latest five top news stories for the organic industry, including value-adding. Click here for more information.
• The Organic Product Search feature on this website is a porthole to finding certified organic ingredients, services (eg bottling & packaging) and produce, both from the farm gate and from wholesale. ??Click here for more information.
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SERVICES FOR ORGANIC CONSUMERS
• BFA’S ‘Why Organic?’ website provides a large amount of information for organic consumers including a list of organic retail outlets, benefits of organic along with the research evidence to back the claims, as well as a library of stories and information on organic eating and living. Click here for more information.
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SERVICES AVAILABLE TO BFA MEMBERS
• BFA membership benefits include two quarterly magazines and delivered directly to your door, free technical advice, linkage to the largest network of organic industry members in Australia, discounts on products and services, invitations to events and being able to have input into organic industry developments. Anyone with an interest in organics can be a BFA member. Click here for more information.
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ORGANIC CERTIFICATION SERVICES
BFA owns two subsidiary companies which provide organic certification services: Australian Certified Organic Ltd and OGA Certified Ltd.
• Australian Certified Organic (ACO) in 2010 won the CHOICE Award for Best Food Endorsement Program. The popular ACO “Bud” logo was found to be the best consumer guarantee on food for reasons of transparency, recognition and trust. ACO provides certification for organic market access worldwide. Click here for more information.
• OGA Certified Ltd – OGA Small Producers Program (OGA) provides an organic certification service specifically designed for the smaller producer supplying domestic markets. The OGA program in 2010 was shortlisted for the CHOICE Award for Best Food Endorsement Program. The OGA sunflower logo is well-recognised by consumers seeking genuine organic produce at markets and retail outlets.
Click here for more information.