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Ben Copeman will take over as chief executive of Australian Certified Organic (ACO) from 24 July.

The organic certification group announced the appointment after a six-month recruitment process.

Copeman brings executive experience in agriculture to his new role, with previous positions as CEO of the Royal National & Capital Agricultural Society in Canberra and as GM of the National Association of Sustainable Agriculture in Australia.

Joe Siegel, ACO chairman, said Copeman was well-placed to hit the ground running due to his 'strong client service, technical and strategic competence, together with great levels of knowledge and passion for the organic sector'.

“The organics sector is growing at a phenomenal rate, which makes it one of the most exciting industries to be a part of right now,” added Copeman. “Australian organic products are particularly sought after, especially throughout the Asian markets, and I am very much looking forward to contributing to the expansion of the ACO brand and the Bud logo onto the global stage.'