IOIA Annual Membership Meeting
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Chico Hot Springs, Montana
Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa will again be the site of our AGM and Advanced Training event. This location hosted our 2015 AGM and was quite popular with IOIA members. People have been travelling to take the waters at this resort for over 100 years, and it is one of the best hot springs in the world.
Dates:
- March 25, p.m., Annual Meeting
- March 26: Advanced Training
- March 27 - 28 (a.m.): Training - Introduction to Social Compliance Auditing
Where: Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa, Pray, Montana, about 40 miles north of Yellowstone National Park, the first park in the extensive US national park system. IOIA will have full run of the Conference Center throughout the event for the annual meeting and training. The center has a stone fireplace, a cash bar, hardwood floors, and a stunning view of the mountains of the Paradise Valley. Not all roads will be open in the park, but roads with access to the northern part of the park should be open. Horseback riding, dogsledding, yoga classes, spa treatments, and other activities can be booked through the Chico website.
Two open-air natural, chemical-free mineral hot springs pools are geothermally heated every day of the year. Neither are treated with any chlorine or other chemicals, and both pools are drained daily. The Chico restaurant is considered one of the best in Montana, and an on-site saloon and pool-side grill add to a good range of food choices. The nearest airport is Bozeman (BZN), now the largest airport in Montana, an hour away. Chico is located in the spectacular Paradise Valley, about 45 minutes north of Yellowstone National Park, in an area of abundant wildlife. There is a day spa that includes massage services. Activities include horseback riding. This is a great place to bring the family! Check it out at https://www.chicohotsprings.com
Reservations may be made by calling Chico at (406) 333-4933 to book within the International Organic Inspectors Association room block. It is not possible to book online in the IOIA room block. You must call the hotel to book within the IOIA room block. The block is available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. You can add Sunday night or Friday night at the same rate, but it is important to book early, as rooms will be limited for those extra nights. The rooms vary from quaint with sink/no bathroom and shared bathrooms in the hall in the historic main lodge for $130, to similar rooms with private bathrooms for $160, to fully modern rooms in the newer structures for $255/night. Taxes are additional. Note: there are no TVs in any rooms on the property.
Reservations in the room block are available only until February 24, then the room block expires. You may register for a room reservation any time. You will pay the hotel directly when you check out. IOIA anticipates that the room block will fill up, so members are encouraged to book early.
Annual Meeting (hybrid online/in-person format) on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 25, with music, no-host bar, and live benefit auction to follow throughout the evening. Keynote and lunch starting at 12:30 p.m., with the annual meeting beginning at 2:30 p.m. Keynote address will be rancher Glenn Elzinga of Alderspring Ranch, Idaho, with “What Beaver Taught Us”. Board members will be elected via the online voting platform Election Runner. The election will end during the annual meeting, to ensure that everyone has a chance to vote.
Keynote speaker Glenn Elzinga, a stellar storyteller, has a background in Forestry. His wife Caryl has MS and PhD degrees in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on community plant ecology in wetland and riparian systems. She is the lead author of Monitoring Plant and Animal Populations: a Handbook for Field Biologists, a book for students and practitioners in managing wild landscapes. They started Alderspring Ranch in 1992 with the purchase of 147 acres and 7 cows. They began marketing grass-fed and finished beef in 1993 with 2 head. From these humble beginnings, their enterprise grew to a 7-figure direct marketing enterprise and a 1700-acre ranch with a 46,000-acre wild rangeland permit. The entire operation is certified organic. They are working on innovative approaches to restoring their wild mountain rangelands, working in partnership with agencies and The Nature Conservancy. For more information about Glenn, Caryl, and their fascinating partnership with the wild, see www.alderspring.com.
Advanced Training has been developed in collaboration with Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for Wednesday - Friday March 26-28, with the focus on March 26 being environmental and soil health monitoring plus a session on supply chain traceability audits and import certificates. The theme of this training is “The Future of Organic Inspecting – What will inspecting look like in 10 years?”
The training on March 27 will be an Introduction to Social Compliance Auditing, a presentation on organic fiber inspection, and a field trip on March 28 to The Wool Mill (weather permitting). Check out the facility at www.thewoolmill.com
NOP does not address social compliance, but triple bottom line sustainability is becoming increasingly important for commerce, especially to European markets and many consumers. Social compliance is a key aspect of the ROA and GOTS audits. This course will assist organic inspectors in learning how to navigate what is required for approval to do social compliance auditing. The information covered will be also useful and applicable for organic inspectors conducting organic inspections. Those who wish to earn a Certificate for the Social Compliance auditing session should plan to stay through the morning of March 28. This will be an IOIA Advanced Training Certificate. The certificate will not qualify you to do ROA or GOTS audits.
Training is open to register for advanced training days individually.
Who: The advanced training team includes Kathe Purvis, Western Australia, social compliance auditor and organic inspector; Ryan Sitler, the GOTS representative in North America, speaking on organic fiber inspections; Elizabeth Whitlow, ROA; and Nate Powell-Palm, who farms and ranches in Montana. Sitler and Whitlow are former organic inspectors and Sitler served on the IOIA board of directors. Purvis is currently serving on the board and will lead the social compliance training. Powell-Palm was the recent chair of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
Brief presentations by a panel of world-class soil experts will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Nate Powell-Palm with lots of room for questions from inspectors. Our panel features Dr. Kris Nichols, Understanding Ag, Calgary, AB, joining our team. Dr. Nichols is the founder and principal scientist of KRIS (Knowledge for Regeneration and Innovation in Soils) Systems Education and Consultation, with a Ph.D. in Soil Science. Visit Understandingag.com for more information. Dr. Sean Stokes, Ph.D. in Soil Science and Research Director for Rodale Institute Midwest Organic Center, Iowa will also be joining the panel; and Dr. Bob Quinn, Quinn Institute, Montana, author of the book 'Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food.' Certified Organic since 1987 and in the process of gaining ROC certification, Bob is known for his innovative ideas around organic agriculture. He was a founding member of the NOSB.
Supply Chain Traceability Audits including Import Certificates, with Garth Kahl and Angela Wartes-Kahl, of the Organic Integrity Cooperative Guild, will provide two excellent hours of continuing education to help you get fully up to speed on these important SOE requirements.
Advanced Training Agenda (draft)
Travel: Nearest airport is Bozeman (BZN) about an hour away, the largest and busiest airport in Montana. Billings (about 2.5 hours) is also an option and avoids mountain passes. Rental cars and carpooling are recommended as the best way to get to Chico. There is no shuttle to the airport, although there are some local transportation services. Silverback Transportation (406-551-0721) can be booked with 24 hours advance notice for pickup or departure.
Meals: The Chico Dining Room - one of the best restaurants in Montana - offers fine dining at its Montana best. Dinner reservations must be booked early. Other eating options are available in the Poolside Grille and the Saloon. IOIA will provide lunch on-site each day during the Annual Meeting and the Advanced Training. Robust appetizers and a no-host bar after the Annual Meeting will be provided as well.
Registration Fees:
$25 for AGM
Advanced Training March 26: $375 (members enjoy a $25 discount)
Social Compliance Auditing: $375 (members enjoy a $25 discount)
Both Trainings: $650 ($600 for members)
After registration, you will be emailed an invoice with a link to pay with a credit card. Checks are also welcome!
Special discount for members traveling from outside the US - IOIA will give you US $25 cash onsite to help pay for your travel costs.