New Zealand Organic Standards

Food safety in New Zealand is underpinned by a sound regulatory regime aimed at protecting and promoting public health and safety, assuring our trading partners that the food we produce meets the requirements of importing countries.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority works with organic certifiers in ensuring that exported organic products meet international standards under OPENZ’s Official Organic Assurance Program, which provides a path to European and Japanese markets.

New Zealand’s two largest certifiers – BioGro New Zealand and AsureQuality – are IFOAM accredited, and have market access to countries including the USA, European Union, Australia, South East Asia, the UK and Japan, based on the international Codex Alinorm 99/22, the European Union Regulations and the Australian National Standard.

As a developed economy which relies on exports of primary products, improving agricultural sustainability is a key focus for New Zealand’s Government, which was among the first in the world to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and tackle the threat of climate change.

Buying New Zealand’s premium organic products supports farming families and their communities, combining traditional knowledge with technical expertise to operate at the leading edge of high quality, food safety and environmental sustainability.

New Zealand’s IFOAM Accredited Certifiers

AsureQuality Limited

The AsureQuality Organic Standard certifies and approves a wide range of products, production units and manufacturers, assuring consumers that the product they are buying is absolutely organic. Organic audits are commonly performed on livestock farms, horticultural properties, apiarists, aquaculture farms and processors as well as on 'inputs' such as fertilisers. AsureQuality is a participant in the Official Organic Assurance Programme.

BioGro New Zealand

Established in 1983, BioGro is New Zealand’s largest organic certifier, operating across the organic production, processing, farm input supply, export, and retail sectors. BioGro trademarks more than $100 million worth of product every year. In addition to its participation in the Official Organic Assurance Programme, BioGro certification provides access to the Japanese market through its Recognised Certification Organisation relationship with ICS Japan.

Demeter

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 has certified New Zealand products under the Demeter brand since 1984.