IFOAM Organics Europe at SANA exhibition – 7-8 September 2023, Bologna, Italy
On 7-8 September, IFOAM Organics Europe’s Director Eduardo Cuoco was present at the 35th International exhibition of organic and natural products, SANA 2023, in Bologna, Italy. He participated to the workshop “Italian animal husbandry: because the future can only be organic”, organized by Federbio in the framework of the promotional project Being Organic in the EU.
Participants of the workshop debated on the latest developments of and opportunities for the livestock sector, especially within the Italian organic sector which registered growth in the production of organic cattle, sheep and swine. Our Director outlined the challenges and strategies for the development of organic livestock production in Europe. He highlighted the growing expectations at the citizen level in Europe, that initiated 3 European Citizens Initiatives related to animal welfare with over a million signatures. The European Commission committed to evaluating and revising the existing legislation on animal welfare and to publishing a proposal on animal welfare labelling. Eduardo explained that organic practices already have a positive impact on animal welfare and that, as IFOAM Organics Europe, we are advocating for a mandatory animal welfare labelling, where practices like those employed in organic animal husbandry are recognised as being the most beneficial to animal welfare.
Our Director also used the opportunity to meet our Italian members and exchange on the latest policy developments at EU and national level.
Funded by the project Being Organic in EU of the European Union, coordinated by Federbio and Naturland. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.