International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IFOAM

IFOAM represents the worldwide movement of organic agriculture and provides a platform for global exchange and cooperation. IFOAM represents over 800 member organizations in more than 100 countries in the world. IFOAM membership is open to associations of producers, processors, traders, and consultants as well as to institutions involved in research and training committed to organic agriculture.

Since its beginnings, one of IFOAM's main aims has been the coordination of research and the dialogue of agricultural practice-research. The coordination of research was actually the reason why IFOAM was founded in 1972, in Versailles, France. Shortly after its inception, IFOAM began organizing, in cooperation with an organic organization in one country, the IFOAM International Scientific Conference.

The first IFOAM International Scientific Conference took place in Sissach, Switzerland in 1977, organized by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL. These conferences reflect the state of organic research agriculture worldwide. The conference proceedings are published by the organization in charge or by IFOAM. Since 2005, the IFOAM Conferences (now called Organic World Congress) have taken place in cooperation with the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research ISOFAR, which is in charge of the scientific part of the conference.