I am organic. It is how I live, make decisions, eat, raise my family, create my livelihood and visualise the future.
Organic is my culture. I am passionate about the mountain ‘Pukematekeo’ that I am enveloped by, and springs that feed the streams that soften the land that nurtures me and my family. I am intimate with these details, and give thanks to the simple pleasures I am gifted. By having an attitude of gratitude, I find I am open to learning. I protect these gifts and share the knowledge, practice and intelligence of my culture when asked. My children learn by doing.
Organic is being human. It joins me with others irrespective of their race, creed or language. The roots of our practices that binds us is like jazz; collective, spontaneous improvisation. Deep Organics is not complicated, nor is its essence found in rules and regulations, but I acknowledge these constructs as symptoms of human frailty. I am not afraid of these; I see them for what they are and am happy to work with them.
Being Organic, I am part of the mosaic of life. I love the ‘big picture’, being part of the raising of human consciousness. My focus however is always based from the daily rhythms of our family farm, gardens and the food on our table shared with family and friends. Organics is a simple, gentle life that keeps me humble.
IFOAM is the home of the global family of Organics. Like those before me I am proud to work to make the home strong and more hospitable. I cherish the knowledge openly shared by others. I trust as you do in me that we strive to make the world an Organic one. This gives me courage.
Leadership serves. I have been a World Board (2005-2008), chair of the nomination committee for the 2011 elections and have worked on GOMA. I am currently a Board member of BioGro (IFOAM accredited member) on the IFOAM Standards Requirements Committee and actively participate in the Sustainable Organic Agriculture Action Network (SOAAN).
Brendan Hoare
As the European umbrella organization for organic food and farming, we take on the hard work of lobbying for the inclusion of organic ideas and solutions in mainstream agricultural policy. The European institutions see us as a key contact for matters of agriculture, environment, research and health issues. Our wide network at the institutions and alliances with like-minded civil society organizations and NGOs, enable us push through amendments to EU regulations and weigh in on decisions of importance for the organic industry.
“IFOAM EU is not just a regional group for me: the important decisions on agricultural policy and as a consequence agricultural practices are taken in Brussels. If we want to work for a better agricultural future, Brussels is therefore the place to be. In the organic industry our hearts and minds are set on being the leader in sound solutions for the challenges humanity is facing, so we must have a strong representation in Brussels. Join me in sponsoring the good work of IFOAM EU!” 
Many of the creation legends of the Pacific islands involve our lands being ‘fished up’ from the vast oceans – or conversely torrents of trapped waters being released and dividing people into separate islands creating the ‘ocean of islands’ in which our diverse peoples live: a population of around 9.5 million people scattered across an ocean area of approximately 30 million square kilometres of which less than 2% of this area is land. Some of our islands lay low in the water – less than a metre above sea level, and we are aware everyday that our survival in this great ocean continent is dependent on our protection of the small amounts of land we have.
The work initiated and supported by IFOAM to develop the Pacific Organic Standard plus the formation of the Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community (POETcom) in 2009 to present a united voice for organic practitioners and stakeholders of the region has created considerable impetus in the region and organic agriculture is now included in the national development plans of almost all our Governments or Ministries of Agriculture. Increasingly organics is being recognised by our policy makers for the solutions it can offer and were greatly encourage by our Pacific Island leaders including support for organic agriculture in their submission to the Zero Draft.
