Brussels presents plan to boost organic farming

The European Commission presented a new plan late last week to boost the production and consumption of organic products with the aim of reaching 25% of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030.

Organic production comes with several benefits for farmers, consumers and the environment. Organic fields have around 30% more biodiversity, organically farmed animals enjoy a higher degree of animal welfare and take less antibiotics, organic farmers have higher incomes and are more economically resilient, and consumers know what they are getting.

In a statement, the Commission said: "The EU's new Action Plan is designed to provide the already fast-growing organic sector with the right tools to achieve the 25% target. It puts forward 23 actions structured around 3 axes – boosting consumption, increasing production, and further improving the sustainability of the sector – to ensure a balanced growth of the sector."

The Commission added that it is encouraging member states to develop their own national organic action plans to increase their national share of organic farming.

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Currently, there are significant differences between member states regarding the share of agricultural land currently under organic farming, ranging from 0.5% to over 25%. 

Agriculture Commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski said that to achieve the target of 25% of organic farming, "we need to ensure that demand drives the growth of the sector while taking into account the significant differences between each Member State's organic sectors." He said the organic Action Plan provides tools and ideas to accompany a " balanced growth of the sector".

Presently, about 8.5% of EU's agricultural area is farmed organically, and the Commission predicts that, if the present growth rate remains stable, the bloc will reach 15-18% by 2030.

"The national organic action plans will complement the national Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plans, by setting out measures that go beyond agriculture and what is offered under the CAP," the Commission said.

The plan puts forward several actions aimed at boosting demand, maintaining consumer trust and bringing organic food closer to citizens. This includes: informing and communicating about organic production, promoting the consumption of organic products, stimulating greater use of organics in public canteens through public procurement and increasing the distribution of organic products under the EU school scheme.

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Beyond the CAP, key tools include organisation of information events and networking for sharing best practices, certification for groups of farmers rather than for individuals, research and innovation, use of blockchain and other technologies to improve traceability increasing market transparency, reinforcing local and small-scale processing, supporting the organisation of the food chain and improving animal nutrition.

The plan also aims to further improve organic farming's performance in terms of sustainability. To achieve this, the Commission says it will focus on improving animal welfare, ensuring the availability of organic seeds, reducing the sector's carbon footprint, and minimising the use of plastics, water and energy.

- Read the full plan.

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