VBP

The Vereniging van Biologische Productie en handelsbedrijven (VBP), founded in 1995, has over 70  members, which together represent more than 65% of the Dutch organic trade en processing industry.
 
Legislation on organic agriculture
 
The current legislation for the organic trade and processing industry is complex. The VBP follows new developments in legislation closely and, in close contact with its members, it exerts influence on the regulations and the procedural rules that are laid down by Brussels. The VBP is part of the Legislation Taskforce, which includes the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Food Quality, and the Product Boards, Skal and Biologica. In collaboration with Biologica and Skal, the VBP is also  responsible for the provision of information in regard to amended EU legislation for organic agriculture and organic food.
 
Certification & inspection
  
All organic businesses in the Netherlands are being certified and inspected by the Skal Foundation. The VBP has liaised very closely with Skal about quality assurance (see also BIOKAP), price/quality ratio, members’ complaints, legal interpretation, research projects and European lobbies. A strong, independent supervisory authority is essential to guarantee consumer confidence in organic agriculture and organic food. 
 
BIOKAP
 
The BIOKAP system is a joint residue monitoring database that has been developed by RIKILT in collaboration with the VBP.
 
National and international lobbies
 
The VBP is affiliated with Biologica and consequently they work actively together to give the organic sector as a whole a stimulus by way of lobby