Naturland farmers and processors have been ground-breaking global pioneers for over 30 years. The world’s first ever conversion to organic agriculture of tea gardens in Sri Lanka and India in the 1980s was the prelude to our successful work on an international scale. Currently over 54,000 farmers in 52 countries manage an area of some 400,000 hectares according to the Naturland standards.
Naturland fulfills its promise as a pioneer, producing its own standards for textiles and cosmetics.
1982
Naturland is being founded by ten pioneers. Their initial objective is to create a fertile layer of humus.
1987
Naturland starts its activities abroad. Co-operation with gepa in the world's first-ever conversion of a tea garden to organic management.
1990
By now, farmers are cultivating 10,000 ha of land according to the Naturland standards.
The marketing organisation of Naturland farms is one of Germany's major organic farmers' associations and one of the leading marketing agencies for organically produced meat.
1992
The first "Gräfelfing Papers" are published, in which Naturland, two years after Rio, publicises the contributions organic agriculture makes to sustainability.
1994
The marketing co-operative of Naturland farmers is established and is today one of the major marketing agencies for organic potatoes and vegetables in Germany. At the same time a forestry campaign is initiated, in co-operation with Greenpeace, BUND (a German environmental NGO) and Robin Wood.
1995
In response to the overfishing of the oceans and the drastic conditions found on fish farms, Naturland produces standards for organic aquaculture.
1996
The area farmed world-wide according to the Naturland standards now stands at 100,000 ha. The association has over 1,200 members.
1998
Naturland is actively involved in different organic movements.
2000
Common objectives unite: ANOG (a German organisation dedicated to near-natural fruit growing and marketing gardening) merges with Naturland.
2002
Naturland chair Dr. Felix Prinz zu Löwenstein initiates the foundation of the Organic Food Industry Federation
2002
Naturland, Bio Inspecta, Austria Bio Garantie and intact
2003
introduce e-Cert software, thus enabling the entire inspection and certification process to be documented electronically.
The area farmed world-wide according to the Naturland standards reaches 200,000 ha. The number of members swells to 41,000 farmers and processors in over 28 countries.
2004
Naturland, the Naturland market company, FiBL and tegut… create a project called "Bio mit Gesicht" (www.bio-mit-gesicht.de) which makes the entire path traced by a product from field to table transparent. Naturland is the first and only German organic association so far to have produced social standards.
2005
The project "Fair Partnerships" is initiated. Hofpfisterei (bakers), Neumarkter Lammsbräu (beer brewers) and Milchwerke Berchtesgadener Land (dairy products) are the first to be accredited as fair-trade organic partners.
2006
Naturland produces its first standards on certified sustainable fishery. The Naturland label "Wildfish" appears on first products in 2008.
2007
2007
2009
Its assembly of delegates passes the Naturland fair-trade standards which were developed in co-operation with fair-trade organisations.
2009
In co-operation with Weltladen Dachverband, the German National Association of Worldshops, Naturland started the campaign "Organic + Fair – more food to share", thus publicising the issue of world food security.
2010
VÖP, an association dedicated to research into organic practice, founded jointly with Bioland, FiBL and SÖL.
2011
ZIn co-operation with leading organic certifying bodies in Italy, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Sweden, Norway and England, Naturland establishes the Leading Organic Alliance (LOA). A research project undertaken by Naturland, Hofpfisterei, Meyermühle and Munich's University of Technology establishes the potential of organic agriculture in relation to climate protection.
2012
Naturland is a founder-member of the "Regionalfenster" association, the purpose of which is to promote regional produce by establishing a transparent and uniform labelling system applicable throughout Germany.2014
The Naturland Marketing organisation celebrates its 20th anniversary.
