Welcome to Far North Organic Growers

The Far North Organics Growers and Producers Society is a group of organic growers, producers and enthusiasts based in the Far North of New Zealand. We promote organics in the Far North by:

• Holding field days 3 times a year at member's properties. This is a great opportunity to find out about organics and see what other growers are doing. Everyone is welcome.
• Providing organic certification to members that sell their produce.
• Sending out a Newsletter to members 3 times a year.
• Representing the interests of organic growers in the Far North at a nation level within the OrganicFarmNZ framework.

Membership

If you would like to join Far North Organic, please come along to one of our events, or contact a member of the committee. Membership costs $20/year.

History and Objectives

Members of Far North Organic Growers and Producers Society Inc (FNOG) first met at Peter Dane's place at Lake Ngatu on 7th December 1989. There were eight eager members, some of whom are still very active in this area. They put together their committee and a constitution was accepted on 13th February 1990. The first field day was held on 11th March 1990 at Werner Krieger's citrus orchard at Kaiaka.

FNOG has, right from the start, been actively involved with making submissions on environmental matters - including to the government for the national minimum organic standard. By the 12th March 1995, their own certification process was put together, mainly because the cost of other established certification agencies was too prohibitive. They also involved themselves in promoting organics at the Kaitaia A & P show and won awards for their displays. FNOG have always worked on a cost-recovery basis, seeking funding only once for a bio-dynamic workshop at a member's property.

When Bioglobal Consultancy put together the Small Scale Producers Organic Programme, FNOG became involved from the start - attending numerous workshops and meetings - until this scheme became known as Organic Farm NZ, with Terry Higginson as chairman for the first year of development in the regions. OrganicFarmNZ (OFNZ) is a certification scheme working under the Bio-Gro standards for the domestic market. There are seven regions at present involved cover the whole country.

FNOG hold three field-days every year, and member growers have hosted these - attracting up to 100 people from the organic sector and the general public.

FNOG publish an informative newsletter called The Organics Networker is published with plenty of news and details about upcoming field days with committee meetings held at least monthly.

FNOG membership has always stayed strong enough to support ourselves by charging a minimum membership fee.

The area covered by this organisation is from Cape Reinga to north of Whangarei. about a hundred kilometre radius of Kaitaia, including Kerikeri, Kaikohe, Hokianga, Doubtless Bay and the Aupouri Peninsula.