REPORT TO MEMBERS  

Annual General Meeting, 28th August, 2004

Overview of the year

We have had a great year. We have a growing membership, we have some wonderful individuals working with us as staff and are supported by a strong council. We have well exceeded expectations in each activity stream and have ended the year with a very modest surplus. It is important for members to know that with all the growth and opportunities we are experiencing, we view our core business of supporting individuals to start working with Biodynamics as the highest priority. Availability of Preparations and guidance in their use is our primary activity.

The list of things that we ought to have done are somewhat ameliorated by looking at the things that we have achieved. Activities of the year include:

Preparations

Preparation distribution has been the high point of the year. Output, adjusted for price variations, is up over 70% on the previous year and the demand continues. Alan has worked to ensure we have plenty of Compost Preparations in hand and numerous Manure Concentrate pits are always brewing. Work is based on estimated requirements for 1 – 2 years ahead, so watching the rate of increase in demand grow keeps us focussed.

Our greatest challenge during the year was to supply the growing demand for the Horn Manure 500. Obtaining the horns remains the problem. Our historic policy has been that a shortage of Preparations would see priority given to the newest members. This policy also included increasing the price of the Horn Manure to members after three years to encourage them to make their own. In our current situation the horns are just not available. In December the council considered the issue, knowing that there are differing viewpoints among our members about quantities and the number of applications of the Horn Manure required per annum.

The outcome of our deliberations was to offer the membership a Combined Soil Preparation made with a reduced quantity of Horn Manure and combined with Manure Concentrate, Horn Clay and Equisetum. These changes increased the kilogram charge for the Horn Manure although the per hectare rate fell. This leaves all members free to design an application program suitable to their needs and viewpoint. My position is one of encouraging everyone to develop their own experience of the physical Biodynamic Preparations so that when they trial other application methods they have a sound basis for evaluation. As it is my objective to have all Australian farmers using Biodynamics I have to be open to variations on the theme until, as a Biodynamic movement, we can access enough cow horns. We are watching some sites that have had only the Combined Soil Spray used to monitor the situation further.

Workshops

It has been a busy workshop year knowing FarmBi$ 2 would end in June. We held 26 workshops through the year. NSW FarmBi$ had used their funds a year prior which meant we had minimal presence in NSW this year and no bus trips. As we came nearer to June, Queensland ran out of funds and then Victoria. In retrospect, over the four years, all States received a reasonably equitable Biodynamic workshop presence, other than Tasmania where we have yet to show and the Northern Territory where we only managed one.

FarmBi$ 3 is due for roll out January 2005 and we are yet to find out how it will look and operate. Queensland FarmBi$ has advised: “National negotiations on the new program framework are underway. FarmBi$ 3 will not be a simple continuation of the previous program. It has been proposed that it have a more targeted approach to achieve business management outcomes and greater national consistency on a range of issues.” (FarmBi$ Queensland website 1 August, 2004) We certainly haven’t been invited to the negotiations. FarmBi$ Victoria writes: “The main changes to FarmBi$ are that it is very likely that subsidy rates will be reduced and participants may be required to pay the full course cost before receipt of subsidy.” (Email, 12 August, 2004)

If history is any guide, the bureaucrats will ensure they have tightened up any loose clauses that allow initiative to escape. It is also true rumours of misuse of the scheme circulate. I believe we have fulfilled the intentions of the scheme with integrity and look forward to a FarmBi$ 3 that will allow greater access to funds focussing on farmers genuinely interested in Natural Resource Management with improved water and environmental outcomes.

I want to acknowledge that FarmBi$ 1 & 2 have been excellent schemes, allowing farmers some choice in accessing taxpayer funded government generosity. We hope FarmBi$ 3 will provide stimulus for farmers to change and adopt practices which have greater social, environmental, nutritional and economic viability. Thank you also to all those who have participated in our FarmBi$ supported workshops and are reading this as members.

In May, Graham and Sandy McNally, founders of Kialla Foods and co-founders of the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), hosted the first industry supported workshop outside the FarmBi$ scheme, another leading initiative of these pioneering organic growers. We will use this example to seek industry sector funding for our educational work. The organic movement does not yet have direct access to the funds accumulated through compulsory industry levies.

Administration

Fiona carries and evolves our administrative activities at a high level of performance and enthusiasm. Our next office move, to Nobles Lane on the eastern outskirts of Bellingen, will be in early September. The end of September will see a modest resumption of Workshops through to the First International Viticulture Forum in mid-November. New memberships continue to flow in and we have a small but growing product database.

Our accounts remain in good shape with Ceinwen keeping order. We planned to use the surplus from last year to cover our increased administration expenses. Instead we have managed to cover the extra expenses and end the year with a modest surplus.

We have added two new waged positions to our ranks during the year. My position as full-time CEO in August and in October we invited Fiona Hannaford to join us and become our Operations Administrator. We now have three full-time staff, Cheryl, Fiona and myself, one part-time, although the Preparation demand has made Alan nearly full-time this year, Ceinwen is part-time contract Financial Administrator, also with a growing workload, and Anne Tillet who we call on increasingly regularly to provide back up with Preparation dispatch and administrative tasks.

This is a definite growth since mid 2000 when Alan was the only part-time staff member working three days per week. The expectation for the year ahead is that our present constellation will be able to handle the anticipated workload with some support.

Membership

We have a current membership of 1035 with an additional 107 News Leaf subscribers. For every 2 new members we lose one not renewing. This has been a constant experience over the years and was so with the Biodynamic Association in the UK when I was treasurer there. Our membership fees cover a News Leaf subscription and contribute to all activities that we consider are in the wider interests of the membership in our Membership Services activity. The membership income does not cover this but it keeps clear to the membership what the membership fees are spent on.

We are carrying a significant part of the cost for this year’s Annual General Meeting and National Workshop, $9,000 was budgeted in the absence of details of the FarmBi$ 3 announcement. We are doing this out of surpluses from last year but it is unlikely we can sustain this level of support in future. Next year we are planning our Annual General Meeting near Adelaide after the IFOAM Congress (see below).

Regional Groups

Generally local groups are strong and growing. The progress lies in the fact that local groups thrive independently and are assisted when they ask for help or information via the office. One challenge is that we have no authority over the way individuals or group conduct themselves yet we can be seen as responsible. Another is that members of Regional Groups can miss the information loop and miss out on activities that are advertised through the Association and News Leaf.

On 27 July we received a request from Deb Cantrill, of the Adelaide hills Biodynamic Group, for support to attend a World meeting of food communities, a Slow Food conference in Turin, Italy. Deb is a major Biodynamic smallholding grower in the Adelaide Hills. She was part of the group who went on our first bus tour through NZ as a precursor to developing our outreach and workshop activity. John Priestley and Trevor and Deborah Dennis have also been invited to attend by the conference organisers.

Furthermore Deb’s letter has opened the way to invite Regional Group participation in putting together support for this conference. It has enabled us to put something to the groups without our activity being the focus. So far we have had a positive response from the Hunter Biodynamic Group who has provided $250 in support. Council has decided to provide Deb with the balance of funds required out of our Education and Training Fund.

I consider this a very positive step in our Regional working together.

Web page

We are in process with Peter Mitchell, of Dynamic Web Solutions, to redesign our web page. Peter is Bellingen based and is accessible to Fiona who is managing the web site for us. Peter designed the www.biodynamicwineforum.com.au page.

I would like to warmly acknowledge and thank Nataniel Wilson for the great work he has done over the years setting up and managing our website. Also for the personal support he has given me. Nataniel came to my rescue when I was faced with a technology beyond my comprehension and managed to design and operate the site for us additional to his university hours.

Publications

The Biodynamic Resource Manual has been well received and we are in the process of preparing the second edition. The first edition print run covered enough for every existing member to receive a new one plus a few month’s supply.

It is in the nature of our activities that members look for interesting books about Biodynamics, Rudolf Steiner’s wider writings and lectures on Anthroposophy and a range of books helpful to all involved in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and home gardening. Also in this context we have published small runs of two of Charley Sievers’ books The Bio Dynamic Method of Agriculture and Growing Bio Dynamic Vegetables under Australian Conditions. Charley was one of Australia’s Biodynamic pioneers. These books were some of the first written in Australia for Australian conditions and are republished by request and with the support of Mary Sievers, an honorary life member of the association.

Annie Mayo initiated bdbooks as a web based book shop and Fiona is taking this on, working with Peter Mitchell as part of the new website. I acknowledge and thank Annie for initiating this activity.

Total sales this year of $50,000 exceeded expectations and just eclipsed last year’s very successful result.

News Leaf

We continue to get good feedback about our quarterly News Leaf journal.

The number of magazines on the news stands reflects wide interests in the community. So it is with our membership. We have those who are interested in the farming, others gardening and others in wider social and spiritual scientific issues. We are looking at ways we can address these different interests, which may include arranging subscriptions for our members to get other publications or to develop a separate journal.

When the new website is up we will place on it News Leaf articles that are over 12 months old and still have relevance. Anne Tillet has been archiving much of our documentation and will pass relevant articles to Fiona for the website.

Remember the times your computer or the server fails so keep your News Leaf journals handy.

Field Advisory

Field Advisory work is limited by our time and resources but each year we get a number of requests and this is starting to evolve and grow. The workshops are intended to introduce growers to Biodynamics to a level where many of their subsequent questions can be handled over the phone by Cheryl and Alan.

Once the Organic Federation is restructured we will again approach government to see if we can get funding to provide formal training for those who would have the time, capacity and interest to become involved in Field Advisory work. In the meantime we manage to service most requests.

Tom Hackett, of Kiwi Down Under, has been of great assistance in this work as one of our long-term Biodynamic practitioners. Tom also has considerable experience writing reports as a certification inspector.

Council

Annie Mayo resigned at the conclusion of our February council meeting at Maleny in SE Qld. I warmly thank Annie Mayo for her contribution to our council work over the last two years. She has been a most enthusiastic supporter of our work and I acknowledge we have not managed to keep up on all fronts. The bdbooks website that Annie initiated is now being taken up by Fiona and is being incorporated in the development of our upgraded website. We hope to have all this in place by Christmas.

Council invited Don Porter to be a co-opted council member at our August council meeting in Bellingen. Don and Ian Cuming are the two council members standing down this year and both are offering themselves for re-election.

Biodynamic accreditation

We are now developing this activity with two industry sectors, viticulture and the Hunter Biodynamic beef producers. This allows us to develop the accreditation out of the practical work of growers who have a common industry interest. As these two groups gain more experience others can choose to join and the Association, through the Biodynamic Council of Australia, can facilitate benchmarking product and practice of the differing groups.

In July I was invited to the Hunter Biodynamic Group’s Annual General Meeting where Karen Newby spoke of their work with local beef accreditation. I then met with John Priestley and Karen and they are willing to participate with us on accreditation. Subsequently John, Karen, Cheryl and myself met with three organic wholesalers in Sydney last week to sound them out on their views on an accreditation procedure. One interesting outcome was their observations that the organic export is not significant for them at the moment as they don’t see enough produce for domestic requirements.

The Sydney wholesalers are open to the possibility of our accreditation plans but have built their reputation around certified organic and would prefer to see a domestic certification. I believe we need to stay outside the existing certification procedures so we can focus on establishing agreements and protocols which allow consumers to connect with growers of high quality chemical-free Biodynamic produce with as much simplicity and economy as possible.

I am greatly relieved with these recent events as I find smaller, reality steps less daunting than trying to gather an appropriate group of people from all around the country to design a process. We now have two groups or product lines which can get on and develop respective protocols. From these we can develop protocols appropriate for other Biodynamic groups. Once we have these we can invite additional participation.

This activity will still need to be within Biodynamic Council of Australia and we will need an appropriate logo.

Gardeners

We are starting to focus on gardeners and establishing a marketing stream into the gardening network. We have some suitable individuals expressing interest to carry this activity at a similar level Cheryl carries the support work with farmers.

Council has decided we offer a Gardening Club membership at the rate of $110 per annum and the Preparations at the Active Member prices. Since the council meeting on 8th August, we have received a letter from the Narooma Kianga Dalmeny Garden Club requesting a club membership.

Wodonga Park Project

Wodonga Park Project has three significant purposes. To ensure Biodynamic land is maintained as Biodynamic when farmers retire; to contribute to funding ongoing education and research activities for Biodynamics and to provide the basis for a strong marketing activity for Biodynamic producers. The association is at an age and stage when taking on too much needs to be balanced against being awake to opportunities that will facilitate further development. We have had four years of workshops facilitating the adoption of biodynamics and my expectation is that in the next four years we will be challenged to bring to the marketing realm some of the skills, intentions and integrity we are fostering in the growing of our food.

At the same time we are witnessing the withdrawal and re-allocations of government funds and resources from community and rural projects. Wodonga Park Project has the potential to enable the association to become independent of government support and continue a high quality education program for Australian farmers. I recognise that for some members this appears a distraction from our main activities. Such matters are for individual consideration and council decided that we maintain our focus on education work and support the formation of an independent activity to own and manage Wodonga Park. Donations received by the association for the project will enable the association to buy into it and benefit through dividends.

We have received one donation of $33,000 and some smaller ones sent through the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, and commitments totalling $1,100,000 towards establishing an independent company to own and operate Wodonga Park.

I believe the successful advancement of this project will begin a new, Biodynamic, chapter in community supported agriculture and I encourage members to pass information of to individuals and corporations who might be interested in participating.

Fundraising

In the July 27 edition of the Bulletin magazine (p30) there was an article on young city high earners who are looking to find ways to contribute their skills and pro bono potential to not-for-profit organisations. Our Association fits comfortably into the genre of organisations these individuals have an interest in and we need to make connections, develop a fundraising activity and foster the philanthropic network. This would support our education work and start us on the path to doing some research activity eg a follow through from soil to plate using different assessment methods from soil analysis through crystalisation and chromatography to taste tests.

Organic Federation of Australia (OFA)

Senator Judith Troeth, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) hosted the National Organic Industry Roundtable meeting in Sydney on Monday 16 August, in order to establish a government recognised Peak Body for the Organic industry. This would expedite communications between industry and government. Earlier in the year we failed in a bid to get some funding to train trainers. We directed our application through the OFA as the body we recognise as the industry peak body but other industry players chose to block this – and their own application – as they were not willing to acknowledge the OFA as the industry peak body.

A more important need for an ordered conduit to government is to open the way for active engagement at industry level during the process of formulating government policy and legislation. I consider interaction with government a nightmare but was sobered by the European Biodynamic experience where they woke up one day to find that access to the organs for making the preparations had been legislated away after the Mad Cow and Foot and Mouth problems. What they subsequently found was that as they had no active seat at the table in Brussels they were not part of the process while the legislation was being formulated and debated. After such legislation has passed all levels of government it is virtually impossible to reverse. Participation at the OFA level would provide us with such a possibility here.

The outcome of the Roundtable meeting is a working group to develop an Organic Federation of Australia “Mark 2” (OFA Mark 2) convened by the current chair of the OFA, Andre Leu, and supported by all the industry participants at the Roundtable. This is an excellent result. This will open the way to all sectors of the organic industry to participate. This working group is: Andre Leu, OFA, Clinton Starr, BFA, Colleen Yates, OGAWA, Joe Gretschmann, TOP and myself representing Biodynamics.

Bruce Ross

Bruce is an elderly long-term supporter of our Biodynamic work who has contributed greatly to the financial needs of many anthroposophical activities, particularly the handicapped people before there was any government funding, in Australia since the early 1950’s. Recently Bruce fell and broke both shoulders and his kneecap and is now recuperating in a nursing home at Stanmore in Sydney. We have written to him and sent flowers. He is a man of the most modest means for himself.

Bruce has supplied us with stationery free of charge for over 10 years and has provided financial support over the years for Terry Forman and myself to travel overseas on Biodynamic work.

The First International Biodynamic Wine Forum

This event is yet to happen but it has formed a significant activity for the year past. It will be held at Beechworth in NW Victoria 19 - 21 November and we look forward to another successful presentation of Biodynamics as a path of excellence.

The year ahead

Each year the year ahead looks more challenging. We do not have great resources to execute even a modest wish list of things that ought to be done. However the past four years indicate that if we stay focussed on our core business of supporting the adoption of Biodynamics we survive and grow.

Growth

Growth is always an exciting process and knowing how to recognise a healthy optimum for any activity or organ of activity is the key for health. We are structured for “organ”-ised growth and any new expectations of our association will require additional organs to carry them. It is interesting to watch some devotees of organics striving for one, powerful “single-desk” organic organisation, reckoning size with power. The OFA, as a federated body, is an appropriate vehicle for such political power. I am more concerned that there are many empowered growers throughout the land who provide leadership in their own circumstances. As a national association I see our task being to foster strong organs of Biodynamic activity in Australia with an immune system capable of ensuring the health of the whole organism.

Part of the process of being an incorporated organisation is to deal with the ever increasing details of existence. Insurance becomes increasingly more complex, Occupational Health and Safety becomes more litigious and detailed, Material Data Safety Sheets need to be addressed for product labelling, the list of “non-productive” but increasingly required activities is ever growing. Organic industry participation through various bodies and functions also call. Cheryl and I are on the Board of the Organic Federation of Australia (OFA); we are involved in the restructuring of the OFA as a Peak Body for the whole of the Australian organic industry, not just the organic certification agencies; I have been invited to be on the Program Committee for the IFOAM 15th World Congress in Adelaide next year; we are writing Biodynamic modules for the Rural Training Council of Australia (RTCA) so that Biodynamic instruction can be requested by students at tertiary education courses such as agricultural colleges and TAFE (unless modules and courses are registered with the RTCA they do not exist in tertiary education) and we are increasingly being requested for input at events, I will be presenting at the Resource Consulting Services’ Executive Link Meeting in October.

Few of these activities provide an income to cover them and most are additional costs to our association. Much of it is still covered by various members, council and staff in a voluntary capacity. The great contributions individuals have made to get the association to where it is today continue on top of the valued and remunerated daily tasks.

Annual General Meeting 2005

We are planning to hold our Annual General Meeting at the end of the IFOAM 15th World Congress in Adelaide, 21 -27 September, 2005.

We will then hold our Spring 2005 Master Preparation Makers workshop at Deb Cantrill’s farm near Stirling in the Adelaide Hills in the days after the Congress. The autumn Master Preparation Makers workshop will also be at Deb and Quentin’s place.

Exact dates for these events are yet to be finalised but keep 27th Sept – 1st October free.

And thank you

We have achieved much and none of it would have happened without the support of our members and the dedication and application of some in particular. I would like to offer my personal thanks to all our council members, Barbara, Don, Ian, Julian, Maaike and Phil for their generous contributions to the association and particularly the support they provide myself and our office team. Also a big thank you to our very capable office team: Alan, Anne, Ceinwen, Cheryl and Fiona who not only work very hard but are a joy to work with.

If Brian Keats’ (author of the Antipodean Astro Calendar) assessment holds to form we have another year of dry ahead. Most important is to understand why he comes to that conclusion. I wish you all a good year.

Aye

Hamish

24th August, 2004.