BIOFACH 2024

This new session aims to establish a creative form of an event for exchanging on relevant questions to the organic businesses leaders and this particular year to discuss best practices in crisis mitigation and addressing crucial challenges encountered by the industry. 

We will be honoured to welcome top-level representatives from leading European organic businesses to join the discussion. The session will follow a participatory format, beginning with an introductory presentation and continuing with open questions to our guest speakers. Seating for the event is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.

Location: NCC East – floor 3 – Seoul

During this session we will discuss the challenges & opportunities for organic operators brought by the packaging and packaging waste directive. Considerable changes will be introduced, e.g. because most single use plastics will be forbidden. This may have an impact in terms of how organic products are sold in supermarkets and therefore in terms of availability of organic products to consumers.

Speakers:

Ulrike Schaal – Sustainability, Laboratory Recognition, BNN

Sabine Von Wirén-Lehr – Director, von Wiren-Lehr consulting

Moderator: Silvia Schmidt – Policy Manager, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Oslo

This dynamic talk show-style event will delve into the future of the organic food and agriculture sector in the results of the 2024 European elections and provide participants with a deeper understanding of the upcoming challenges and opportunities facing the organic movement.

Speakers:

Joanna Stawowy – Member of Cabinet, European Commissioner for Agriculture, European Commission

Silvia Bender – State Secretary at Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Germany 

Dr. Oszkár Ökrös – Deputy State Secretary for International Relations, Ministry of Agriculture, Hungary 

Jan Plagge – President, IFOAM Organics Europe

Tom Chapman – CEO, Organic Trade Association,

Jürn Sanders – Head of the Department of Food System Sciences, FiBL Switzerland

Moderator: Eduardo Cuoco – Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 3 – Shanghai

The international project team will focus on the role of women in driving positive changes within the organic industry in the CEE region through success stories and provide an overview of the positive transformation in the organic sector in Albania, Serbia and Ukraine, sharing achievements, challenges, and opportunities.

Speakers:

Moderator: Karen Mapusua – President, IFOAM – Organics International

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Istanbul

Following IFOAM Organics Europe’s Policy Day event, BEING ORGANIC in EU project invites you to a networking reception to taste organic food and drinks. The project coordinators from Federbio and Naturland will present the project goals and activities, and it will be an occasion to network and exchange knowledge with the European and national policymakers, as well as to promote the new programme on promotional campaigns.

Location: Event room next to room Shanghai

The purpose of this session is to give an overview the EU promotion policy co-funding, a part of which is ring-fenced for organic. In addition, operators who have applied for the fund will share their experience.

Speakers:

Diego Canga Fano – Director, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development F., Outreach, research and geographical indications, European Commission

Christoph Zimmer – Regional management of Baden-Württemberg, Bioland

Heidi Haavisto-Meier – Specialist, Pro Luomu

Marco Schluter – Head of Strategy and International Affairs, Naturland

Moderator: Silva Schmidt – Policy Manager, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 3 – Seoul

This session, hosted by IFOAM – Organics International, underscores the importance of incorporating social criteria into organic private standards and regulations. We will engage with a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from NGOs, national competent authorities, and private standards organisations, in a meaningful dialogue on the issue of social justice in organics.

Speakers:

Vladyslav Zhmailo – Senior Policy and Guarantee Coordinator, IFOAM – Organics International

Kesang Tshomo – Programme Manager, National Organic Flagship Programme, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Bhutan

Vincenzo linarello – President, GOEL

Carolle Nordmann – Social Responsibility Lead, Bio Suisse

Ruslan Alyamkin – Responsible for Standard, GOTS

Moderator: Sarah Compson – World Board Member, IFOAM – Organics International

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Kiew

We will present first results of the EU-Horizon Project OrganicTargets4EU. Based on an analysis of the drivers and barriers to the development of organic farming, we will examine whether and how the F2F goals can be achieved. We present and discuss planned policy interventions, trends and possible scenarios for future development of the sector.

Speakers:

Ingrid jahrl, Scientist, FiBL CH

Dr. Nicolas Lampkin, Researcher, Thünen Institute of Farm Economics

Raffaele Zanoli, Professor, Universita Politecnica delle Marche

Moderator:

Sabine Reinecke, Policy Analyst, FiBL CH

Location NCC Ost – Floor 3 – Room Seoul

The global organic market develops dynamically and in different ways around the world. We take a closer look at market information from the IFOAM – Organics International/FiBL statistics book and reflect about trends and strategic market positioning from several parts of the world. Expect first-hand market information from country experts from different regions of the world.

Speakers:

Moderator: Ravi Prasad – Executive Director, IFOAM – Organics International

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – St. Petersburg

Together with different experts from NGO´s and politics we will discuss concepts for the agricultural funding and explore what a CAP model needs and how the organic systems approach can be of use to transform the CAP into an effective tool to support the transition to a sustainable agriculture system on a technical and political level.

Speakers

Eric Gall, Policy Manager, IFOAM Organics Europe

Martin Häusling , Mitglied des Europäischen Parlaments und Biobauer

Moderator

Lea Ilgeroth-Hiadzi,refentin Agrarpolitik, Naturland e.V

Location: NCC Ost – floor 3 – Room Shanghai

Based on organic production and agroecology, African women are leading transformative changes at different operational levels of the food system: from farm to policy making. The diverse examples from Africa bring inspiration for action accross the globe. The session will focus on knowledge exchange and cross-fertilization of ideas at farm level, marketing and farm-business models, advocacy and policy influence, and co-creation of knowledge.

Speakers:

Moderator: Irene Kadzere – Agricultural researcher, FiBL

Location: NCC East – floor 3 – Seoul

The European Commission will set the scene, introducing the next EU Research & Innovation (R&I) Framework Program (FP10) as a main funding instrument. In an interactive workshop, participants will identify and prioritize knowledge gaps to be included in TP Organics’ new Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda, a key tool for advocating for the organic sector’s needs and priorities.

Speakers:

Hans-Jörg Lutzeyer – Scientific Officer, DG RTD, European Commission 

Luca Colombo – Secretary General, FIRAB

Lizzie Melby Jespersen – Consultant in Organic Farming Regulation, Research and Policy,  ICROFS and LMJ Eco-farming & Consult

Raffaele Zanoli – Professor, University of Ancona

Susanne von Munchhausen – Senior Researcher, HNEE/Food Policy Council Frankfurt

Moderators:

Eduardo Cuoco – Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Bram Moeskop – Managing Director, FiBL Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Oslo

Women in organic farming face financial skill barriers, affecting their well-being and advocacy. Bridging financial literacy gaps aligns with women’s caring nature, crucial for organic farming’s success. Empowering women economically benefits entire communities. Heifer Nepal exemplifies improved environmental outcomes and increased incomes for marginalised women farmers.

Speakers:

Moderator: Shamika Mone – INOFO President, INOFO Global/OFAI

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Istanbul

The audience can expect a state-of-the-art update on the EU policymaking process on the new legislative proposal on so-called “New Genomic Techniques” (NGTs), especially in terms of the implications on the organic sector – the session will touch upon crucial issues like co-existence for Category 2 NGTs, patents on traits and the European breeding landscape, traceability, and consumer labelling.

Speakers:

Erika Olsson – Chairperson, Organic Farmers’ Association Sweden

Jan Plagge – President, IFOAM Organics Europe

Moderator: Helene Schmutzler – Policy Coordinator on GMOs and Animal Welfare, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Kiew

With its current regulatory framework, the EU is still standing as one for strict consumer labelling, traceability, and biosafety standards. At the same time, the different global regulatory contexts are already now posing real technical challenges to trade relations. This session will shine light on these complexities and explain the implications of these especially for organic trade markets.

Speakers:

My-Lien Bosch – Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs Manager, Canada Organic Trade Association

Eric Gall – Deputy Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Moderator: Helene Schmutzler – Policy Coordinator on GMOs and Animal Welfare, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Kiew

The Bio-Districts are hubs of sustainable community development, where diverse stakeholders collaborate to promote organic farming and agroecological practices. Women in Bio-Districts are essential for food security, cultural heritage, and farm-tourism synergy, as they hold traditional knowledge in gastronomy and culture, and prioritise multifunctional approaches to territorial activities. Bio-districts in Germany (“Öko-Modellregionen, Bio-Musterregionen”) are an integral part of organic action plans to achieve the political goals for organic farming on the EU, national and federal state levels.

Speakers:

Moderator: Jostein Hertwig – Chairman, BERAS International Foundation

Location: NCC East – floor 3 – Seoul

PGS as a resilient concept for women in organic food and communities. PGS with organic values and principles present a safe and enabling environment to women particulate to strive within and beyond their farming community. Running or representing a PGS, gives women a place to lead their community. The Inter-Continental Network of Organic Farmer Organisations’s (INOFO) global view and experience of Women in PGS for food security and sovereignty

Speakers:

Moderator: Shamika Mone – INOFO President, INOFO Global/OFAI

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Oslo

A presentation from policy-makers and experts on the main challenges and opportunities of the new EU Organic Regulation after the second year of implementation. An update will be provided on implementation issues and on what is still expected from the regulatory side.

Speakers:

Elena Panichi – Head of Unit Organics, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission

Michel Reynaud – Vice President, Ecocert

Moderator: Lea Bauer – Regulation Consultant, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – St. Petersburg

Involving experts from all sectors and policy-makers with a discussion on the strictly regulated procedures on the management of pesticide residues in organic products, we want to archive a common understanding of the rules in light of the Position Paper of IFOAM Organics Europe published last summer.

Speakers:

Henri Delanghe – Deputy Head of Unit Organics, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission

Michel Reynaud – Vice President, Ecocert

Thomas Fertl – Head of Department Agricultural Policy – BIO AUSTRIA

Moderator: Lea Bauer – Regulation Consultant, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – St. Petersburg

Organic farmers need access to seeds that have been specifically bred to perform well under organic conditions, and organic breeders contribute to maintaining and fostering agrobiodiversity, making sure that a wide choice of variety is available for farmers, who will in turn be able to offer a diverse range of products to consumers. The EU is completely revising the existing framework on the production and marketing of plant reproductive material. Is that a good thing for organic farming and will this ambition survive the European elections in a polarized EU political context?

Speakers:

Dr. Monika Messmer – Group Leader Plant, Department of Crop Sciences, ECO-PB, FiBL Switzerland

Gebhard Rossmanith – Member of the Board, Umbrella organisation for Organic Plant Breeding in Germany (Dachverband für Ökologische Pflanzenzüchtung in Deutschland)

Maria Zintl – Policy Officer on Inputs and Organic Textiles, IFOAM Organics Europe

Moderator: Eric Gall – Deputy Director, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Istanbul

National policies and strategies supporting organic agriculture, agroecology and farmers-managed seed systems hold the promise of a long-term solution that brings economic and climate resilience to famrs the world over. The session will showcase examples of such policies from 3 continents. Speakers will include representatives from Africa, Europe and Asia.

Speakers:

Moderator: Gábor Figeczky – Senior Manager of Global Policy – IFOAM – Organics International

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – Kiew

Climate neutrality is increasingly crucial in both politics and marketing. The lack of regulation and transparency around such claims may be misleading to consumers and risks to end up being simply greenwashing. This session explores the potential impact climate neutral claims may have on the organic sector, whose strength lies in a systemic approach to sustainability going beyond climate benefits.

Speakers:

Cedric Guillod – Vice-President, BioSuisse

Christoph Trütken – Farmer, Antonihof

Julia Ambrosy – Sustainable Consumption Officer, Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V.

Moderator: Hanna Winkler – Policy Officer on Climate Change and Biodiversity, IFOAM Organics Europe

Location: NCC East – floor 2 – St. Petersburg