Organisation

Welcome to our movement – organised in a federational structure

The Biodynamic Federation Demeter International (BFDI) is an umbrella organisation supporting its member organisations, representing more than 7.000 farmers with about 250.000 ha in 63 countries on all continents. In 36 of these countries, farmers have gathered in biodynamic organisations. Get an overview on this Map.

Activities and Services

  • Participation and support in research activities
  • Training services for farmers, advisors, certifiers, inspectors
  • Protective administration for the trademarks Biodynamic® and Demeter®
  • Certification of farms, processors and traders to the International Demeter Biodynamic Standard
  • Information and promotion to raise awareness for the Demeter trademark and the details about biodynamic farming methods
  • Marketing support for Demeter certified products from biodynamic agriculture
  • Advocacy for sustainable farming systems supporting farmers and our environment
  • Support for new biodynamic initiatives worldwide

Find useful services for members and licensees here

Find worldwide contacts of our member organisations here

Contact our Brussels office here – Policy & Public Relations

Character of our Federation

Co-operation on an international level is a challenging, but mutually enriching, task. The biodynamic activities on a Dutch market garden are different from those on an orange grove on the edge of the Negev desert in Israel or arable production on the Argentinean pampas. Marketing in Germany requires a different strategy to that in New Zealand.

The Biodynamic Federation is a contemporary example of co-operation based on commitment, transparency and regional independence.

The work of the Federation is financed partly by fees from our member organisations, partly by fees from our licensees and partly from external sources (such as project funds). Although fees from operations certified by us make up part of the income of the organization, we guarantee independent certification decisions through defined procedures and an elected certification committee.

Members’ Assembly

The Members’ Assembly is the highest body and meets once a year.  It elects the Supervisory Board and the members of the different committees. This body also decides on the International Demeter Biodynamic Standard. The Member’s Assembly gathers organisations from 36 countries worldwide.

Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board represents the Members Assembly during the year. They set the goals while providing support by accompanying and reviewing them. During the foundation of the Federation in February 2020, the first Supervisory Board was elected.

Members:

Maja Kolar, Slovenia – Co-chair
Jean-Michel Florin, France – Co-chair
Helga Bernold, Austria
Volkert Engelsman, Netherlands
Alexander Gerber, Germany
Bettina Holenstein, Switzerland
Juan-Martin Richter, Argentina
Edouard Rousseau, France

Executive Director

The Executive Director is responsible for the development and execution of strategies. The director reports to the Supervisory Board and the Members’ Assembly.

Current director:

Dr. Anne Flohr, Germany

Executive Team

The Executive Team reports to the Executive Director and advises the Supervisory Board. In their respective work areas they plan strategies and execute respective activities – in accordance with their committee work and often in direct co-operation with members.

Members: 

Clara Behr, Belgium
Paz Bernaschina, Chile
Alysoun Bolger, United Kingdom
Jean-Marie Defrance, France
Dr. Petra Derkzen, Germany
Cornelia Hauenschild, Denmark

Meet the team

Demeter is no ordinary brand

Find out more

Committees

Different committees advise the Executive Team and the Member’s Assembly. Some committees have decision making powers.

This committee submits new standards to the Members Assembly. It has the power to grant exemptions from the existing standard (derogations) and provides binding interpretations of the existing standard. The committee is coordinated by Alysoun Bolger.

Permanent Members: 

Marisa Fogante, Argentina
Jim Fullmer, USA
Jörg Hütter, Germany
Ian Henderson, New Zealand
René Heusschen, The Netherlands

Extended Members:
Jasmin Peschke, Switzerland
Adriano Zago, Italy
Walaa Mohamed, Egypt

The Accreditation Council confirms that the procedures of inspection and certification are guaranteed in the respective certification organisations. This in turn guarantees the implementation of the International Standard. The Accreditation Council is entitled to suspend or withdraw the rights and authorisation of a country certifying body, to inspect and certify operations and enterprises in accordance with the requirements of the International Demeter Biodynamic Standard. The council is coordinated by Alysoun Bolger.

Members:
Alvaro Manas, Germany
Hélène Moquet, France
Stuart Cragg, United Kingdom
Raphael Rivera, Germany

This committee’s primary task is to monitor and advise the international certification program carried out by the International Certification Office (ICO). In addition, the ICC makes sanction and certification decisions for cases that deviate from the ICO’s described standard procedures and therefore require a second assessment. The committee is coordinated by Cornelia Hauenschild, Head of Certification.

Members: 
Franziska Bühlen, Germany
Katia Ziegler, Switzerland
Ian Henderson, New Zealand
Cornelia Hauenschild, Denmark

This committee advises the Board and the Members’ Assembly in all matters related to advice, research and training. The committee is coordinated by Paz Maria Bernaschina.

Members: 
Daniel Björklund Jonsson, Sweden
Klaus Merckens, Germany
Valentina Carla Campa, Italy
Olivier Clisson, France
Ximena Milicevic, Chile
Maja Kolar, Slovenia
Naglaa Ahmed, Egypt
Simone Helme, Germany
Jaison J. Jerome, India
Sarah Sommer & Lukas Maschek, Section for Agriculture

This committee advises the Board and the Members’ Assembly in all matters related to marketing. It analyses the market and member needs, and discusses marketing projects that support the members in their marketing activities and strengthens the Demeter trademark and the Biodynamic Movement in the markets worldwide. This Committee is at the moment working together with the Lobby and Public Relations Committee for further synergies between the areas of work.

Members:
Bert van Ruitenbeck, Netherlands
Lisa Dyk, Austria
Aurélie Truffat, France
Pawel Bietkowski, Poland
Carlo Gaudiano, Italy
Justus Harm, Egypt
Eva Piccolo, Argentina
Edmundo Aguilar, Mexico

This committee advises the Board and the Members’ Assembly in all matters related to trademark protection. The committee is coordinated by Jean-Marie Defrance.

Members: 
Paul Reidl, United States
Susanna Kueffer-Heer, Switzerland
Rafaella Mellano, Italy
Klaus Scharf, Germany

This committee advices the Board and the Members Assembly in all matters related to lobbying and public relations. The committee is coordinated by Clara Behr.

Members:
Jörg Hütter, Germany
Patricia Flores, Peru
Jayachandran Krishna Reddy, India
Patrick Schellenberg, Switzerland
Giovanni Buccheri, Italy
Thoraya Seada, Egypt

The Membership Committee evaluates and recommends new members to the Members Assembly. The Membership Committee accompanies the members in their organisational development and evaluates the compliance with membership criteria. The Membership Committee supports national groups in their decision-making processes. The committee is coordinated by Petra Derkzen.

Members: 
Helen van Zyl, South Africa
Daphne Amory, United States
Dr. Yap Kim Fay, Malaysia
Juan-Martin Richter, Argentina
Jean-Michel Florin, France

The Social Responsibility Committee considers and approves the national plans for implementing the Social Responsibility Standard.  It also acts as a contact for anyone concerned about Demeter licensee’s compliance with the standard. The committee is coordinated by Alysoun Bolger.

Members: 

René Heusschen, Netherlands
Eduardo Tilatti, Germany/Argentina
Eva Ramirez, Spain
Walaa Mohamad, Egypt
Lucy Pelliser, Brazil

Statutes and Standing Orders

Find out more about our way of working, in our federation structure and in our statutes and standing orders.

Statutes

Standing Orders

Statistics

Biodynamic farming is growing worldwide and Demeter products are increasing in popularity.

Demeter licensees are to be found in all corners of the globe, demonstrating the use of biodynamic methods successfully, across the full spectrum of climatic conditions. Bananas from the Dominican Republic, tea plantations in India, medicinal herbs in Egypt, the production of meat and wool in New Zealand – everywhere food production is taking place, biodynamic production can be found, adapted to local conditions.

2024 Statistics

Since 2003, Demeter certified hectares have increased by 57% and we welcomed more than 2.400 new farmers to our movement. Product categories for fruit, bananas especially, have seen a huge demand increase. The demand for biodynamic wine has also seen year-on-year growth and today, there are more than 1.439 biodynamic vineyards in around 30 countries.

Demeter hectares

267.885
+5% vs. 2020

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Demeter farms

7.081
+ 7% vs. 2020

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Demeter processors

1.232
+7% vs. 2020

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News