The Organic Agriculture Association (OAA) based in Bairnsdale, is one the longest running such organisations in Australia. It was established 40 years ago in 1984.
Audrey Porter and her husband, the late Wally Porter, made the first moves by organising a public meeting at Wiseleigh, followed by frequent field days.
They had been working with Tasmanian Bill Mollison, co-creator of Permaculture, and wanted to promote organic growing in East Gippsland. Amazingly more than 100 people came to the first field day on their property, demonstrating the obvious interest and need for organic growing information.
Audrey, an OAA life member, is still active at 96 years old and a beacon of inspiration for younger generations.
The first regular newsletter was published in 1985 and continues today as the quarterly Seedbed, which is available at the Gippsland Grain Store as well as to members.
Activities have included field days and demonstrations on growing food, fruit tree pruning, compost making, seed saving, care of garden tools, biodynamics, soil health, permaculture, pesticides, GM foods, fermenting food, and growing various crops and raising livestock.
The OAA started selling books in 1985 and has more than 100 titles in the bookshop. Its library is regarded as having the most extensive organic farming and gardening collection in Australia.
Between 1992 and 1998, regular segments on local ABC and REG FM radio gave people a chance for talkback. Organic courses were run several times at Bairnsdale Adult Community Education (BACE).
The OAA offered scholarships for several years to undertake a Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Agriculture at Orange in NSW.
Current president Alan Broughton was the first recipient in 1997, followed by Kathy Cogo in 1999. As a result, OAA went on to write and teach an organic agriculture diploma course through Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE in Bairnsdale and Drouin, and later in Sale through the then Advance TAFE. This course won the Organic Federation of Australia Best Organic Education Project Award in 2003.
OAA members also presented at international conferences in Adelaide and Seoul and still today run courses for farmers and agriculture department staff in Vietnam.
The OAA has invited many famous speakers and demonstrators over the years including writers Jackie French, Pat Coleby, and Andre Leu from Regeneration International.
Several international speakers have been hosted by the OAA to bring a different perspective to members and the community.
They include Gavin Fisher (NZ organic dairy farmer) in 2005, Percy Schmeiser (Canadian anti-GM campaigner) in 2008, Roberto Pérez (Cuban permaculturalist) in 2012, and Rei Yoon, a Korean Canadian, talking about Jadam, a system of Korean natural farming, in 2017. Each created a large amount of interest. The films The Power of Community on Cuba’s adoption of organic agriculture and Growing Change on agroecology in Venezuela were shown several times in Bairnsdale and Orbost to appreciative audiences.
The OAA hosted a visit by 20 students from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India in October 2015. Two Vietnamese guests addressed OAA members in March 2019, about their research work in agricultural issues in their country. OAA hosted a delegation of 20 Vietnamese in March this year.
At the recent annual general meeting, tributes were paid to Stephen Cross who has just completed 13 years as president. Stephen had been instrumental in ensuring the organisation functioned well.
The OAA resource centre is open every Thursday from 11am-3pm and the committee meets monthly. Every first Thursday of the month there are get togethers of interested people wishing to learn something new, at the former geriatric centre in McKean Street Bairnsdale, behind the Wild Cherry School. Everyone including new residents, young people and budding farmers will be made welcome.
IMAGE: Audrey Porter, founder of the Organic Agriculture Association, with anniversary celebrants. (PS)
