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Fall Newsletter
Demeter Association, Inc.
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Members Assembly
Wednesday, November 20, 2019 
1-4:00 p.m. @ the
in Lake George, NY
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Join the Demeter team & Board of Directors for the Demeter US Members Assembly. Topics to be covered include: 
  • Meet the new Director of Certification
  • Demeter Board election results
  • Info about the Standards Advisory Committee
  • Updates from the trade committees 

The deadline to submit nominees for the Demeter Board is October 15th
Please submit to info@demeter-usa.org 


Reorganization

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Over the past year Demeter has been putting focus on refining the certification infrastructure to the highest standards of integrity. To do this we have had to make some difficult decisions in redefining the roles within the organization to achieve this mission. This means that we are taking a step back from the marketing and trade work to focus on certification & increasing the certified acreage within the U.S. 

The Demeter Board of Directors decided to eliminate the Director of Business Development position. The Board & Staff would like to extend gratitude to Erin Sojourner for all of her hard work to further the Biodynamic movement and wish her the most luck in her future adventures.
erin

Input Material Update


Demeter has identified a pest control product called Grandevo® that is cultured on a GMO substrate that is not allowed per the Demeter Farm Standard 
Section 1. H. GMO Avoidance and Protection (page 23). 

The applicable Standard reads: 
"Demeter will not permit use of transgenic, spliced, or engineered plant or animal products or any derivative in food, feed, or fiber production. It will be necessary to verify that farm inupts, non-certified seed and inoculants used are NON-GMO."

Discontinue use of this product immediately and update your Crop Material Input Form by removing this product.


Reflections from Demeter’s new Director of Certification – Evrett Lunquist

A lot has happened in the last two years. We lost a long-time director and Stellar Certification Services. A new Director of Certification was appointed but was not able to relocate. There have been administration and Board departures & staff changes. I think everyone can agree that Demeter has faced many challenges and what has been the gold standard of certification has suffered as a result. The Demeter Board and Team have made great strides to remedy this and put Demeter on a path of improvement for the future.


Biodynamic farming and Demeter USA have been a large part of my personal bedrock over the years, and Demeter was struggling before my eyes and clouded in controversy. Tempted to turn away from the unfolding chaos, I was at a loss on how to proceed, but I realized that it all meant too much to me to turn away. 


Then, my wife, Ruth Chantry, texted me that Demeter was looking for a new Director and asked, “should you apply?” I was tending to our farm animals at the time. For the last 23 years, I have worked with my wife for the common good through our farm with a CSA and a wide range of community involvement. If I applied, this would be a huge shift in my life path. Twenty-five years ago, I read a small booklet written by Hartmut von Jeetze about Camphill Communities where he talked about people needing to jump in order to contribute to solutions rather than sending in criticism from the periphery. After many spousal discussions and much introspection, I decided to offer my experience as a Biodynamic farmer and inspector, and my history with Demeter to help heal the fractures in our movement and bring integrity to the organization. Apparently, the Board of Directors thought this was a good idea.


Certification work takes a high level of specialized skills and attention to detail, and there a lot of challenging situations that come up when applying the Demeter Biodynamic Standards to real operations. Since I started in mid-August, I have seen that the staff at Demeter are dedicated to upholding the integrity of Biodynamic certification and striving to assist members with the certification process. I saw that the staff had stepped up to cover tasks outside their job descriptions in the unexpected absence of a Director of Certification; less than ideal conditions. The staff learned and gained experience in the last two years that is now a great benefit to the organization. I find that the staff has a firm understanding of the certification process and can constructively make suggestions for improvements. I commend their effort to take responsibility for the daily operations of Demeter before I started.


I find the actions of the Board to be reassuring that change is at hand – having a hiring process open to any who wanted to apply, developing a process for new Board member elections for the first time ever, refocusing the organization on certification. I have found the Board to be supportive of me as I work into this position—teaching, guiding, encouraging, arranging access to a personal mentor.


I hope that we in the Demeter community can see this experience as an opportunity. We now have the chance for renewing Demeter. My focus in the coming months and years will be to bring stability to Demeter, develop efficient processes and uniformly apply the Standards in a commonsense manner while maintaining the highest level of integrity. Biodynamic is the gold standard of certification; I want us all to be able to hold our heads high as we represent Biodynamic to the world. I hope to meet many, if not all, of you eventually, and am excited to carry Demeter certification work forward. 

 

I will be at the Biodynamic conference in Lake George, NY in November and look forward to seeing folks there. Please find me at the Demeter table (or in a workshop) and introduce yourself if I haven’t had the opportunity to meet you.


 

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2020 Renewal Season
Renewal packets will be published on the Demeter website and will consist of the annual application fee worksheet, TOA, System Plan & Input Material updates. 

Early Bird Discount!
2020 Certification  Renewal Fees paid by November 15th can take a 5% discount!
$209.00 Farm 
$304.00 Processor $304.00 Trader $513.00 Farm/ Proc

Licensing fees will still be due February 1st, 2020 for gross sales in 2019.  Consider paying licensing fees quarterly instead of annually!


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Biodynamic® Seed Search Requirements
The Demeter Farm Standard states:
For seed that is imported there must first be a search for Biodynamic seed. If Biodynamic seed is not available in the quantity or quality needed then there also needs to be a search for certified organic seed with the same parameters. In the event Biodynamic or Organic seed may not be available in varieties that fit your farming system an exception to use non organic seed can occur given a documented search for Biodynamic/ Organic seed has occurred and the seed is shown to be non-GMO and not treated with prohibited materials.

Certified Biodynamic® seed producers include: 


 


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Welcome New Demeter® Certified Operations:

Summerhill Pyramid Winery


Berry People


Acetaia Guerzoni


Maisons & Domaines Henriot America


Wine Hooligans | Portlandia Vintners


Red Range Farm *In Conversion to Biodynamic®



Congratulations to operations that are expanding:

Mt. Hood Packing has added a co- processor 


Solminer Wines & Maha Estate Vineyard have added new wine making facilities



Contact Us | Phone: 541-929-7148 | info@demeter-usa.org



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Demeter USA
PO Box 1390
Philomath, 97370
USA

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