Derek has spent 35 years as a lawyer in private practice, alongside 30 years of involvement in organic farm development and environmental activism. Derek has served as chair and director of several organic companies and grassroots organisations, including past roles as chair of organic certifier BioGro and chair of OANZ. He was also an early director of the Environmental Defence Society.

Since turning a bare 20-acre piece of land into a thriving certified organic mixed farm, Derek and his wife Roz have been commercially producing apples, juice, garlic and garden vegetables for the past decade. Derek sees regenerative, sustainable organic farming as the foundation for restoring our natural environment, increasing biodiversity, reversing climate change and providing nutritious food. Derek also currently works as a consultant with Ceres Organics, developing strong relationships with primary producers and building supply chains for New Zealand organic products.

Robyn O’Brien has been called “food’s Erin Brockovich” by The New York Times. She is a leader in the good food movement and an advocate for organics. Robyn is a dual citizen of New Zealand and the US. Based in the US, she advocates for the growth of organic and regenerative agriculture, and works to develop reliable organic produce supply chains. As vice president of impact investment fund rePlant Capital, Robyn uses philanthropic capital to support farmers in their conversion to organic agriculture.

Robyn is passionate about New Zealand’s future as a clean and green nation. She holds ambitions to reduce regulatory risk for New Zealand’s organic producers and develop bridges for New Zealand organics in the US. She currently works with legislators, trade associations, grocery chains and major multinational food companies to better understand the changing landscape of consumer behaviour and expectations.

Merf is the Head of the Biological Husbandry Unit’s Future Farming Centre at Lincoln University. The Future Farming Centre is dedicated to the science and extension of permanent and whole-system agriculture, such as organic agriculture, agroecology, and regenerative agriculture.

Merf has over thirty years of experience as a grower, having managed organic vegetable farms in his native UK and adopted New Zealand, and as a scientist finding practical and effective physical, biological, and ecological solutions to agricultural challenges.

Viv has a strong vision of organics as a pathway to better health, a more holistic and caring economic system and a better planet for future generations. She has extensive experience in the food sector across both private and public organisations.

Between 2019 and 2022, Viv lead OANZ as CEO. Over the last three years she has worked extensively to supporting the launch of the Organic Market Report, has secured funding for and development of the Organic Sector Strategy, has travelled up and down the country conducting face to face consultation with the sector and worked hard developing a closer working relationship between OANZ and the Government.

Prior to OANZ, Viv was Head of Strategy & Business Development at Ceres Organics. As well as leading strategic planning, she was responsible for their Bulk, Produce, Health & Beauty and Export business units along with their store in Ellerslie. The experience gave her an excellent appreciation of the challenges faced by local and international organic value chains. Prior to this, Viv worked at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise leading the East Asia Food Programme, and at Nelson based Wakatu Incorporated as GM International for their Kono (food basket) business units.