IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) is an umbrella organisation founded in 1972 with 750 sub-organisations or members in over one hundred countries in almost all continents. It unites and represents the worldwide organisations of organic agriculture. One of its main tasks as an umbrella organisation is the international coordination of all interest groups. The mission is to lead and promote the organic movement in its full diversity and the worldwide adoption of ecologically, socially and economically sound systems based on the basic rules of organic agriculture. The objectives are to provide information about organic agriculture and promote its spread worldwide, to develop a common platform for all the associations or interest groups represented, and to exchange knowledge and experience between members.
This is done through conferences, trade fairs, seminars and publications, representation of organic farming in international institutions and organisations (IFOAM has, for example, consultative status with the UN and FAO), definition and regular further development of the international IFOAM basic guidelines, and development of a harmonised, international system to guarantee the quality of organic products (IFOAM accreditation programme). In 2000, the revised edition of the "Basic Guidelines for Organic Agriculture and Processing" was published, which was approved by the General Assembly in Basel-Switzerland. For general principles and a list of relevant organic associations see
Organic Viticulture.
