Sat. Mar. 25, 2017, Lord Elgin Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario
Item 3) 14:26 Board Chair Stuart McMillan establishes Quorum assisted by Margaret Scoles (MS).
Item 4) Approval of Agenda for 2017 AGM.
Monique Scholz requests that we add a time for appreciating presenters at the end of the meeting. Silke Fuchshofen asks to add a presentation by Dr. Jochen Neuendorff for 15 minutes during the meeting.
Monique Scholz moves we accept the agenda with the above additions included. Second by Leonard Pollara. Unanimously approved
Item 5) Approval of 2016 AGM minutes
Janine Gibson moves to accept the minutes as printed on the website. 2nd by Leonard Pollara. Unanimously approved.
Item 6) 2016 Annual Report
Stuart presents the Annual Report for 2016. “Proud to be the first chair of the IOIA to preside over a meeting in Canada.” See 2016 Annual Report Overview and View from the Chair.
Moment of silence to recognize the passing of longtime IOIA members Maarten Samsom and Linda Kaner.
Reports from some of the committees:
Al Johnson - Chair Bylaws Committee-notes that the bylaws require that we authorize the number of members of the the board for next year. Al moves we have 7 members for the Board of Directors in 2017. 2nd by Leonard Pollara. Unanimously approved.
Stuart continues with the Annual Report.
Pam Sullivan (Finance Committee Liaison and Chair) - thanks Eric Feutz and Brian Magaro for their help on this committee.
Stuart recognizes and thanks IOIA staff, especially Cil Earley and Diane Cooner who are in attendance.
Canadian Committee Report
Bill Barkley -He and Janine worked together to prepare the presentation.
Janine speaks on history of Canadian Committee
-Wanted to use IOIA materials to promote training in Canada, starting at the Guelph Conference.
- Had to do with lobbying CGSB to get inspectors recognized on the standards committee. IOIA holds a voting seat on the committee.
-Worked with CFIA to get them to recognize role of IOIA in the organic sector.
-Notes new edition of Canadian Organic Field Crop Handbook.
- Recommends Independentsciencenews.org. To follow up on recent genetic engineering 2.0.
Bill - There are 47 Canadian members,19 Certifiers. Notes that this equates to 2.47 IOIA members/certifier vs 3.26 in the USA.
Believes IOIA’s future is: Education and training events, Education of Inspectors
-Partnership with COTA: Association for processor training.
-Guelph Conference Advanced Training.
-Webinars featuring Canadian content.
-Newsletter with Canadian Content
Description of COO reorganization.
Proposed “Safe Foods for Canadians” Regulations
-Canadian Inspector Forum.
Stuart and MS present Bill an appreciation award for his work on the Canadian Committee.
Mutsumi Sakuyoshi (Liaison for Asia/Pacific Committee) Introduces members of the committee by showing their pictures: Isidor Yu (Korea), Kathe Purvis (Australia), Vitoon Panyakul (Thailand), Maheswar Ghimire (Nepal), Raymond Yang (Korea), Sandeep Bhargava (India), Akiko Nicholls (Australia).
Among other things, one big item committee wants to develop is materials for grower group certification focused on that region.
Mutsumi notes that she still serves with JOIA (Japan Organic Inspectors Association). They present a training every year. Worked in the recent revision of the JAS law and JAS rule. Wants to take technical information she gleans at this IOIA training back to JOIA.
Item 6(b) Treasurer's Report. Last year projected to make $2K, we ended up making $85K. Because of this, BOD has directed an allocation of $75K to support the Accreditation Program.
● Pam reminds us that the majority of income comes from membership fees and trainings.
● Peer Evaluation Program:. We took in $85,000 in gross income, but this figure included many, many hours of work by MS for Peer Eval, which was not included in costs for this program.
● Expenses were down, in part because IOIA was understaffed at the MT office.
Monique notes that the Rutherford Scholarship was not noted in the budget. MS reports that neither applicant ended up using the scholarship funding this year for various reasons.
Leonard Pollara moves we accept the 2016 Treasurer’s Report, 2nd by Tom Cassan. Unanimously approved.
Leonard- asks if the MT office is chronically understaffed. Pam and MS report that it is, noting that the BOD last year directed MS to hire an Executive Assistant. In addition the BOD took efforts to hire and retain more staff in 2017.
Stanley Edwards- asks how much MS not charging for Peer Eval effects the organization.
Leonard- notes that the current trend in the organic industry is to put downward pressure on inspectors. Thinks it is very important to have a clear mandate about what the PE program does. If the program is to support inspectors it should be a net zero.
Pam-notes that income from the program is a net zero if MS’s time is taken into account. Notes that we were expecting only $10K net income from PE.
Stanley-Doesn’t think that MS should have to donate her time to this and should receive additional compensation.
Pam continues with the 2017 Overview.
● Notes income from dues is projected to be same.
● Training income to increase $50K.
● Budgeted for executive assistant for MS.
● Total Office and Operational Expenses should be $296,380 NOT as stated in the printed condensed budget.
Leonard - asks if IOIA would consider licensing training modules to other users.
Pam- Notes that we are talking about doing this with some of the webinars. Concerned about how you would replace the experienced trainer.
Leonard-thinks it would be a great way to increase revenue.
Joel Aitken -thinks it would great for 300-level trainings. Thinks it would be a way to get some revenue from non-members.
Brian Magaro- Thinks it’s a good idea, but questions whether it would benefit membership.
Monique Scholz - worried that it would affect uniformity and the quality of the trainings.
C) New Business.
Discussion of 2018 and 2019 AGM. The BOD is considering being in the Southeast, because it is a warmer location.
Ryan Sitler of North Carolina notes that he knows a great many people that would attend a training if there were one in the region.
Angela Wartes- Concern that there is currently a boycott against NC due to their repeal of LGBT protection and massive gerrymandering. Would gladly support GA, SC.
Leonard Pollara-Makes a bid for VA. Lots of millennials in VA and sees potential to have a presentation to millennials about how IOIA protects organic integrity.
2019-Garth Kahl makes a pitch for Mexico. There are safe areas of Mexico, Baja Sur, Quintana Roo, and Oaxaca. Notes we had our AGM in Oaxaca in 1998.
Stanley Edwards and Garth Kahl (both of whom were present at Oaxaca meeting -make a pitch for Oaxaca in 2018, not 2019.
Janine Gibson- notes that COABC requiring inspectors to be IOIA members has led to most Canadian members being from BC. Would the BOD lobby other entities to require this?
Janine moves that the BoD develop policy to lobby accreditors, ACAs and government to require IOIA membership. 2nd by Angela. Unanimously approved.
Presentations of appreciation to Ib Hagsten and Garth Kahl, who are stepping down as board members.
Monique presents gifts to Margaret Scoles from the membership in appreciation of all her work for IOIA over last 25 years. Stuart recognizes all the members of this AGM planning committee.
Presentation by Dr. Jochen Neuendorff: The BioC database for real time verification of organic certificates.
Ballot committee reports winners of the election:
Margaret Ann Weigelt - 51
Chuck Mitchell -38
Heather Donald - 36
Totals for other candidates were:
Maheswar Ghimire - 27
Barry Glofcheskie - 32
Shelley Schepp - 14
Joseph Ward - 22
Monique Scholz Introduces Joe Smillie.
Joe recounts the early years of organic inspection.
Stuart proposes the focus group membership discussion take place during the party this evening. Garth suggests that current and newly-elected board members take input from members about the following:
1) Peer Eval finances and impact on ED
2) Licensing of training
18:34 Stuart make a motion to adjourn the meeting. 2nd by Angela Wartes. Unanimously carried.