Gäa e.V. - Vereinigung ökologischer Landbau Bundesverband

Out of an environmental movement Gäa e.V., association of organic farming, was founded in Dresden in 1988. Gäa became the first East German organic farmers organization. The main objective is to provide information and guidance to farmers, gardeners and processors for the conversion process to organic principles. Lobbying and capacity-building in the field of the organic sector are its main objectivs. Gäa has developed own standards and started inspection and certification activities in 1991. A delegation of Gäa-representatives from the former German Democratic Republic attended the first IFOAM meeting for East European countries in Tarnow, Poland in 1989. In 1990 Gäa became a member of IFOAM within the East European group. Gäa has been accredited in the IFOAM accreditation programm since 2004. In 2005, Gäa was approved by Bio Suisse.