Review of events

On 23 September, EU Organic Day, Europe celebrates its organic sector and operators. Locally and nationally, the movement was extra visible at a diversity of events giving a face to #EUorganic. At European level, the Commission unveiled the winners of this year’s EU Organic Awards and took stock of the European organic action plan. 

EU Organic Awards 

Outgoing EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Janusz Wojciechowski opening the ceremony summarising what happened in organic in the last five years, using the following three words to describe organic: 

1. Cooperation is at the heart of organic – across the supply chain, between different organisations. Thanks to this the EU organic action plan came to be and celebrates EU Organic Day, which was essential to increase resilience across the past years 

2. Progress. EU OAP stimulates demand, procurement & awareness. Policy instruments realising this are the CAP and Horizon Europe 

3. Inspiration. Create the future, inspire other farmers showing they are profitable, more resilient and economical. Open more connections 

Closing his last keynote address of the EU Organic Awards ceremony, the Commissioner thanked all organic operators for their day-to-day work. 

Jan Plagge, IFOAM Organics Europe’s President, stressed the importance of the collaborative efforts of the past years – with the EU institutions on the EU Organic Action Plan and with agrifood stakeholders on the Strategic Dialogue. 

And the award goes to… 

Best organic farmer (female): Ms Reinhilde Frech-Emmelmann, who founded ReinSaat GmbH (Austria) together with Demeter and organic farmers and gardeners in St. Leonhard am Hornerwald in 1998. Her farm and over 30 propagation companies produce varieties for commercial horticulture and domestic gardens adapted to different climatic zones and organic farming’s requirements. 

Best organic farmer (male): Mr Benny Schöpf, chief vegetable grower at Kartoffelkombinat (Germany), the largest community-supported farm in Germany. Every year, the cooperative provides more than 2,500 households (or “shareholders”) in München with a total of 600 tonnes of organic vegetables. Mr Schöpf and his team want to inspire similar projects to strengthen the existing social network with respect to the environment. 

Best organic region: South Savo (Finland) built a strong organic farming culture through 40 years of collaboration between farmers, researchers, and local authorities. Work on the organic region in the forested South Savo started in the late 70’s and led to its current network with over 200 small organic farmers and more than 40 organic canteens and restaurants. 

Best organic city: BioStadt Bremen (Germany) encompasses more than 100 certified organic farms (over 30% of the region’s farms). The project started as a grassroot civil movement and was taken up by the city. It promotes sustainable public procurement in schools and other public canteens and encourages sustainable food systems through community projects, innovative farming initiatives and empowering citizens to drive local change. 

Best organic biodistrict: Sörmland Biodistrict (Sweden) has been pioneering organic farming since the 1940s, bringing together farms, food processors, restaurants, and an eco-hotel and eco-bank. The biodistricts makes organic food available to public infrastructures and canteens, bringing local organic products to local consumers. The biodistricts also meets with and brings together farmers and gardeners to enhance landscape diversity by local diversifying production in line with the organic principles. 

Best organic food processing Small and Medium Enterprise (SME): Gino Girolomoni Cooperativa Agricola (Italy), a family-owned cooperative specialised in organic pasta production, continuing the mission of its founder, Gino Girolomoni. The family’s lifestyle and production process are organic, from seed to table. They help revitalise and repopulate the local rural area, collaborating fairly with 400 farmers. 

Best organic food retailer: SAiFRESC (Spain), founded by three farmers in 2011, the company transitioned to organic farming in xx. Using local and short supply chains, they boost agriculture in the Huerta de Valencia, selling 50 types of vegetables, 10 types of herbs and 10 types of fruits and citrus. Thanks to this EU Organic Award, recognition from local institutions to further develop the sector and put good foor on the public plate. 

Best organic restaurant/food service: Kalf & Hansen (Sweden), founded in 2014 by Rune and Fabian Kalf-Hansen, is a restaurant chain offering 100% organic, affordable, seasonal Nordic cuisine for more than 10 years. Kalf & Hansen operates two restaurants, provides catering services, and serves organic meals on Swedish trains. They prioritize local sourcing, sustainability, and affordability, forging strong partnerships with local producers to offer fresh, organic meals while maintaining a focus on environmental responsibility. 

Read more about the which other organic practitioners were shortlisted as inspirational examples for food and farming. 

Panel discussion: Taking stock of the EU Organic Action plan 

Following the awards ceremony, representatives the EU institutions, Presidency and agriculture organisations took stock of the EU Organic Action Plan – aimed at improving the supply and demand for organic. Among the plan’s achievements, panellists listed: 

• Bringing stakeholders together on the EU Organic Day and through the EU Organic Awards, 

• Giving organic the opportunity to position itself as political tool to achieve the EU’s goals, 

• Provide a clear frame for Member States and set ambitious national goals for organic. 

While the Organic Action Plan supports EU initiatives to increase the market and demand for organic, there is still work ahead. A recent report by the European Court of Auditors highlights the need for a long-term strategy for organic and support from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that strengthens farmers’ position in the value chain in its post-2027 funds. The Auditors specifically recommend the European Commission to better integrate environmental and market objectives into the CAP’s support and better target post-2027 funds to develop the organic sector – as the OrganicTargets4EU project research).  

The court’s vision is in line with the strategic dialogue’s recommendations asking both to ensure that farmers who provide more environmental and social benefits are rewarded and calling on the Commission to improve the EU’s strategic approach for the organic sector by defining a long-term vision for the sector beyond 2030.  

Panel discussion: Challenges to start an organic business 

In the following panels, the winners joined the stage and shared their practical experience, listing some challenges and opportunities they faced in their day-to-day businesses. While these vary, among the shared ones: 

• Finances can be a hurdle to set-up and start a business; 
• For food businesses it is challenging to keep food products affordable. While local and seasonal products can lower the price, consumers are not always aware about food and how it is grown; 
• Consumers’ awareness about the food we eat is still lacking, so awareness campaigns are crucial; 
• Generational renewal in farming is challenging, so it is crucial to make farming a more attractive profession; 
• Access to land for organic farming is often an issue, governments can make this easier for potential (organic) farmers. 

Relive the event: 

• Watch the recordings on the European Commission’s YouTube channel, 
• On social media using #EUorganic, 

Read the Commission’s press release announcing the EU Organic Awards winners and our press release.

In a well-attended webinar GLOBAL2000 and IFOAM Organics Europe presented an alternative to the much-contested pesticides measurement tool, the Harmonized Risk Indicator 1 (HRI-1). 

Martin Dermine from Pesticides Action Network Europe and Maria Zintl from IFOAM Organics Europe, explained the HRI-1 indicator’s shortcomings measuring pesticide use and risk, and how it is particularly inadequate when applied to natural substances used in organic farming.  

Dr. Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, biochemist at GLOBAL 2000, presented an alternative tool, the PURI, an indicator that considers the treatable crop area and negative effects on human health and our environment for each individual active substance (the components of pesticides). 

The new model thus corrects two major simplifications in the HRI-1 indicator which only looks at total pesticide mass used, regardless of the surface area of crop treated, and also groups active substances very roughly into four groups which do not reflect in detail on health and environment effects. 

Is the new indicator, PURI, a more realistic way of looking at pesticide use and risk in Europe? Watch the webinar recordings and read the press release IFOAM Organics Europe and European Citizens’ Initiative condemn “fake pesticide reduction to find out. 

For more information on plant health care and IFOAM Organics Europe’s work on this issue, please visit our website or contact maria.zintl@organicseurope.bio. Do note that we prioritise our members’ requests. 

IFOAM Organics Europe members can find more information on the task force in its terms of reference and background materials on the topic in the arguments database on the member extranet (main messages, arguments/FAQs, visuals & videos). Contact membership@organicseurope.bio for access rights (issues). For information about what you can gain from being a member, read our membership page and contact membership@organicseurope.bio. 

Documents: 

• Policy Brief: Correcting the F2F Indicator – A prerequisite for pesticide reduction in the EU 
• Fact check: Pesticides in conventional and organic farming 
• Paper: The HRI-1 systematically overestimates the risk of natural substances used in organic farming compared to synthetic substances 
• Paper: Plant health care in organic farming – The role of natural substances in a biodiversity-based system approach  
• NGO letter: The EU must make pesticide reduction a reality 

Videos: 

• Explaining the flawed pesticides indicator 
• Organic’s approach to plant health care and pesticides regulation 

From the 8^th to the 11^th of October the third partner meeting of the SchoolFood4Change project took place in the city of Prague, bringing together an enthusiastic and inspiring group of change makers working to make school meals healthier and better for all. Besides project partners, we had a visit from Charlotte Long, who shared her insights into the work of Food for Life & the Soil Association. Additionally, Monika Dobrovodská, from the Czech Ministry of Rural Development, discussed the National Public Procurement Strategy, highlighting its review and changes regarding minimum standards for example for organic.  

Other important discussion focussed on:  

• Impact and awareness: How can we make the rollout of the SchoolFood4Change Triple Approach tangible for society and policy makers?  
• Health Impact Assessment: What insights does our research provide on the health impact of the food served at school going into children’s stomachs? 
• Environmental Impact Calculator: How can we fine tune our calculator, which helps schools and cities measure the environmental impacts of their school catering? 
• Whole School Food Approach – food education: How can we help schools and cities with their challenges in implementing the WSFA? 

Going into the last year of the project, we as consortium are inspired and motivated to further work on these very important tasks. We see the essential need for the Sustainable Food Vision from the EU and national strategies must include (healthy and sustainable) school meals and food education – these are key ingredients! 

What’s next? SchoolFood4Change is partnering with us, IFOAM Organics Europe, to deliver a powerful session at the BIOFACH 2025 fair, the world’s leading trade fair for Organic Food.

From September 17^th to 20^th, the LiveSeeding project convened its third general project meeting in Novara, Italy. The gathering was an opportunity to collaboratively plan the project’s third year, bolster team spirit among partners, and cultivate synergies for a strong project impact.

The meeting opened with a welcome and an overview of the annual objectives, followed by reflections on year two’s successes, particularly in on-farm screenings, Organic Heterogeneous Material (OHM) and Organic Variety (OV) development, and case studies/workshops. A cross-cutting session explored complexities around OHM and OVs, including notification, traceability, and breeding guidelines, alongside discussions on training activities and a seed production manual.

The final day focused on fostering entrepreneurship, business models, marketing, food policies and organic breeding benefits, as well as a session on EU policy developments. Mr. Flevaris from DG SANTE, Plant Health Unit, presented the revision of the Legislation on the production and marketing of Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) in the EU. Derogations, variety registrations and other issues were discussed and concerns from the consortium were shared. In June 2024, a progress report on the file was presented at the Council of EU Agriculture Ministers, under the Belgium Presidency. Particular emphasis should be paid to the safeguarding of OHM, and on the importance of not making stricter rules for VCU testing for variety registration. Additional elements, such as a very limited scope exemptions for conservation & farmers’ exchange and number of regulated species are identified as worrying. This progress report only covers part of the Commission’s proposal, meaning that not all articles in the proposal have been discussed yet by the Council of the EU. This process is still ongoing and will likely continue for a while, within the AGRIFISH Council and the Working Party on Genetic Resources & Innovation. Only until the Council of the EU reaches a ‘General Approach’, trilogue negotiations are expected to commence

We are excited to announce the successful launch of our new event series, the Organic Food Forum, through a pilot webinar held on 14 November 2024. Organic Food Forum merges our two key events— the Organic Food Conference and IFOAM Organics Europe Meets Business—into a fresh and ambitious platform to connect, inspire, and support organic business community in Europe.

Highlights of the Towards Organic Food Forum webinar

Our exclusive Towards Organic Food Forum webinar drew organic business leaders from across Europe to provide feedback, share insights, and help shape the future structure and focus of the Organic Food Forum. The event featured a dynamic agenda, including key updates on policy, sustainable diets, packaging legislation, EU organic regulation, and an interactive brainstorming session.

The webinar kicked off with a Policy Hotspot presented by Silvia Schmidt, IFOAM Organics Europe’s Policy Manager, who offered insights on recent political developments and discussed the positioning of organics within the current EU political landscape. Participants then enjoyed a session on sustainable diets led by Regulations and Organic Product Quality Project Lead Bernard Lignon, focusing on promoting holistic approaches to food systems and consumption patterns.

The core of the event was an interactive brainstorming session in small breakout groups, where attendees exchanged ideas and visions for future editions of the Organic Food Forum. A key takeaway from these discussions was the consensus on the need for closer collaboration and knowledge sharing within the organic movement and alignment with broader social movements working toward a sustainable future for agriculture.

The day concluded with important updates on new EU regulations for imports, introduced by IFOAM Organics Europe’s Regulation Consultant Lea Bauer and an insightful presentation on future packaging legislation by Government Relations and Public Affairs Expert Dr. Sabine von Wirén-Lehr, addressing upcoming challenges and opportunities for the sector.

The event recording and speaker presentations will be published on member extranet shortly.

Looking Ahead: Full-Scale Organic Food Forum 2025

We’re thrilled by the positive energy and valuable contributions made by participants and speakers during the webinar. It has set a strong foundation for the future event editions, and we’re looking forward to building on this success with the first full-scale Organic Food Forum on 27 November 2025 at the Organic House in Brussels.

Stay tuned for updates on our social media channels and mark your calendars for what promises to be an essential gathering for Europe’s organic business leaders!

Exclusive event sponsor

IFOAM Organics Europe’s strategic sponsors

On Friday, 15 November civil society, local governments and EU institutions highlighted the positive impact of organic farming and its potential for creating resilient and sustainable food systems in Europe at Organic food: good for farmers, workers, climate, and the environment 

The event brought together representatives from European cities, national governments, and institutions to discuss organic territorial strategies, with a special focus on public procurement—a driver for increasing demand for organic products and strengthening local food systems. It was also an occasion to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of organic farming, which is being marked this year.  

Highlights: Minimum criteria, a manifesto and petition with +100,000 signees 

Three important initiatives were presented at the event: 

• The EU Food Policy Coalition’s Initiative advocating for mandatory minimum criteria for school canteens, already endorsed by 30 European local governments. 

• The Freeing Up Public Procurement Manifesto – signed by over 80 cities and facilities – calling for greater flexibility and sustainability in public food procurement policies. 

• A petition for healthy school meals across Europe, with over 100,000 signatures, underscoring the strong public demand for better nutrition in schools and more sustainable practices. 

Organic meals, an easy win 

Our Director, Eduardo Cuoco, addressed the audience with a speech emphasizing the socio-economic benefits of organic farming, alongside its well-documented environmental advantages. Eduardo highlighted how sustainable public procurement can transform rural areas by fostering connections between citizens, public institutions, and farmers. He presented bio-districts—where farmers, local authorities, and the private sector collaborate—as a model for revitalizing farming communities and promoting local economies.  

“Meals can be powerful agents of change,” Eduardo Cuoco noted. “By starting with schools, we can nurture responsible, sustainable citizens while reinvigorating rural communities.” 

If you’re interested in the event, recordings of Organic Food: Good for Farmers, Workers, Climate, and the Environment are available. 

The event took place at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels. It was organised by IFOAM Organics Europe with the Organic Cities Network Europe, the EESC, and the Associazione per l’Agricultura Biodinamica, in partnership with Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), Buy Better Food, and France Urbaine,  

About Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) 

For more information on this issue, have a look at: 

• The EU Food Policy Coalition’s Sustainable Public Procurement of food: A goal within reach, 

• Our leaflet Making organic products in sustainable public procurement happen, 

• Our infographics (available in multiple languages): 

• Overall benefits: Benefits of Sustainable Public Procurement, 

• Why policymakers should consider investing in sustainable public procurement, 

• The work of the Buy Better Food coalition, campaigning for sustainable food on the public plate, and 

• The SchoolFood4Change project that will provide innovative solutions and tailored, locally adaptable good practices for schools, school meal providers, public authorities, and policymakers, in line with the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy. 

Could not find what you were looking for? Visit our food policy webpage and scroll down to “Food policy: Sustainable Public Procurement” or contact silvia.schmidt@organicseurope.bio. Do note that we prioritise our members’ requests. 

We invite our members to translate the infographics we have created. The source materials for this are available on our member extranet > hot topics > Sustainable Food Systems > Sustainable Public Procurement. For information about what you can gain from being a member, read our membership page and contact membership@organicseurope.bio. 

At TP Organics’ Organic Innovation Days 2024 on October 22-23, an enthusiastic group of more than 70 researchers, policymakers, and experts from the organic sector came together in Brussels to discuss how to get organic Research & Innovation ready for the new political mandate. The 2-days agenda was packed with interactive workshops, expert panel discussions, and thought-provoking presentations addressing how research in organic farming can tackle critical global challenges.

Highlights included MEP and European Parliament Vice-President Nicolae Ștefănuță’s keynote speech on Research & Innovation priorities and opportunities in the new European political mandate, 4 workshops on Research & Innovation SRIA for organic food and farming, and much more.

Participants actively engaged in shaping policy recommendations, fostering collaboration between sectors, and exchanging best practices. The event did not just spark conversation — it energised the organic community to take concrete action toward a resilient and sustainable organic food system. Read more about the event review here.

TP Organics is the European Technology Platform for Research & Innovation into Organics and Agroecology. IFOAM Organics Europe is a founding member and hosts its secretariat. Visit www.tporganics.eu for more information and follow its Twitter and LinkedIn @TPorganics.

On October 28^th , IFOAM Organics Europe hosted the second public policy workshop of the project ClieNFarms, entitled “How can the EU agricultural sector contribute to climate neutrality?” in the context of the recent farmers’ protests, the EU elections and the Strategic Dialogue report, which mentioned “Advancing towards sustainable agri-food systems” as one of the five pilars. The workshop brought together experts from around the world, farmers, policy makers, umbrella organisations and an audience of 40 people to contextualise the importance of having a common climate goal that EU agriculture contributes to, with measures taken at the farm level and beyond.

The workshop began with a welcoming word by the host Alba Saez, R&I coordinator consultant at IFOAM Organics Europe. This was followed by two keynote speeches from Jacques-Eric Bergez, senior researcher at INRAE & ClieNFarms coordinator, who introduced the workshop and the ClieNFarms project, and Julia Bognar, Head of Programme for the Land Use & Climate team at the IEEP, who talked about climate mitigation efforts in EU agriculture towards 2030 and the current pathway that we’re on right now.

Climate Neutrality is still on the political agenda

Jacques-Eric quoted European Commission’s president Ursula Von der Leyen in the general Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture to stress that the recommendations under the aforementioned pilar dive into the support and promotion of sustainable farming practices. He was also the first one to say that agricultural emissions have been stagnant since 2005 and more efforts are needed to drive them down, an admonition that was echoed by all the speakers throughout the workshop. The ClieNFarms project aims at tackling this issue by demonstrating that innovative systemic solutions have the potential to generate positive impacts by 2030 and preparing roadmaps to climate neutrality to be adopted by farms and farming systems. This is done through the development of an Innovative System Solution Space (I3S) Network based on a demonstration and upscaling approach.

Jacques-Eric presentation can be found here (hyperlink to the presentation, which is uploaded on the media folder).

2030 emission trends and targets

Julia pointed out the wide variability of emission trends between Member States (MS), with emissions decreasing in 13 MS, but increasing in 14. Some countries such as Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg or Austria need to put special attention to reducing their agricultural emissions because agriculture makes up a large share of their total emissions. Julia also pointed out that the predicted trajectory with additional measures of the Effort Sharing sectors’ emissions and the LULUCF, both of which cover some agricultural emissions, will fall short of meeting the 2030 target. Very few MS have a concrete pathway to re to reach the ESR or the LULUCF targets. She expressed concern for countries such as Czechia, Estonia, Finland and France where the declining trend of net removals until 2025 may impact the achievement of the 2030 targets but brought up some positive progress in other MS such as Lithuania, Germany, the Netherlands or Spain with measures to rewet/restore peatlands or reduce livestock emission.

More efforts are needed

Julia emphasised the need for a clear roadmap for emission reductions at a sectoral level, so not just farmers, but all actors across the value chain, based on the adoption of agroecological practices. This needs to be accompanied by consumer behavior changes, food waste reduction measures along the value chain, large-scale financing for farmers and a strategy to internalize the true cost of food.

Julia Bognar’’s presentation can be found here (insert hyperlink).EU agriculture’s contribution to climate neutrality – ClieNFarm’s first policy brief

After Julia’s talk, the floor was then given back to Alba Saez, who presented the first policy brief developed by ClieNFarms, which has the same topic as the workshop. Alba presented the differences between the terms carbon neutrality, GHG neutrality and Climate neutrality, emphasising that the latter should include the former two as well as consider radiative effects of terrestrial ecosystems and planetary boundaries, thereby taking a holistic approach. She claimed that taking a reductive approach that focuses only on one or few of these elements risks worsening the climate crisis by means of trade-offs and carbon leakage, and that on-farm solutions should be based on the presented holistic approach. Alba presented key recommendations identified by ClieNFarms, such as that MS need to improve their monitoring, reporting and verification systems, which Julia also mentioned, the importance of tackling biodiversity and climate together to improve system resilience, or the need for the Carbon Removal Certification Framework to recognise the efforts of first movers, such as organic farmers.

The last part of the workshop was a policy debate with Peter Fröhlich, CEO and founder of AgriCircle, deputy leader of ClieNFarms’ Work Package 2; Valeria Forlin, Unit Land Economy and Carbon Removals, DG Clima; Mark Howden, International Advisory Board of ClieNFarms, Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions at The Australian National University; Nicola Di Virgilio, Unit Env Sustainability, DG Agri; and Alba Saez, R&I Coordinator Consultant at IFOAM Organics Europe. They discussed the term holistic approach and the challenges associated with making policies that have multiple purposes. For example, Valeria mentioned that the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) has a mandatory requirement for carbon farming practises to benefit biodiversity but a biodiversity indicator is lacking. Alba added the unfair advantage that rewarding single measures has on farmers that deliver fewer environmental benefits than those who use a whole-farm approach with higher environmental performance. Mark explained that research can contribute to seeing agrifood systems in a more holistic way by collaborating with farmers in projects like ClieNFarms, which are co-designed to address farmers’ actual questions. He emphasized the importance of farmers understanding trade-offs and co-benefits from a systems perspective to help them make informed decisions. If you are interested in the topics of this policy workshop and you would like to find out more about it, check out the full recording.

IFOAM Organics Europe and TP Organics staff participated in the Mission Soil Week “Leading the transition to heathy soils” from 12 to 13 November 2024 in Brussels. The annual event held by the Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe” (Mission Soil) aimed to discuss challenges, opportunities and solutions for healthy soils.

The main goal of the Soil Mission is to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards health soils by 2030. At the Mission Soil Week, living labs were presented, as well as the results of Mission Soil projects during a project trail. Likewise, the Mission project SOILL Startup, in which IFOAM Organics Europe is a partner, was presented by coordinator ENoLL. The project is creating a support structure for both applicants and new living labs and developing a monitoring framework for (potential) soil-health living labs and lighthouses. Moreover, some Soil Ambassadors, who advocate for soil protection in their communities, shared insights from their work. In breakout sessions and field visits, the participants could actively contribute on different soil topics and deepen their knowledge.

On 12 November, IFOAM Organics Europe had a stand together with Consulai to represent the project Climate Farm Demo. Climate Farm Demo aims to strengthen the European farmers’ capacities to implement, demonstrate and uptake Climate Smart Farming practices in order to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. “Soil health and biodiversity” is one of the adaptation and mitigation areas the project is working on. We talked with inspiring projects and exchanged ideas on how to collaborate on the topic soil, e.g. on a framework on measuring soil health and on how to train advisors on sustainable soil management.

On 19 November, the organic farming community came together for an engaging webinar, Unlocking the Organic Farm Knowledge Platform. Held online, the event served as a hotspot for knowledge exchange in organic food and farming.

Drawing more than 120 participants from across 18 EU countries—and attracting attendees from Africa, Asia, and South America—the webinar offered a perspective on organic tools and practices. Farmers, advisors, researchers, and organic enthusiasts explored the platform’s practical solutions and best practices and provided valuable feedback through interactive sessions.

The Organic Farm Knowledge Platformprovides easy access to a wealth of practice-oriented materials and resources to help improve organic production. This is more than just a platform – it’s a dynamic hub for cross-border collaboration, where stakeholders from across Europe connect and share valuable insights.

About the Organic Farm Knowledge Platform

The Organic Farm Knowledge platform has been collecting best-practices, tools, and resources on aspects related to organic farming since 2015. They are easily searchable and available in multiple languages at www.organic-farmknowledge.org.

Within the OrganicTargets4EU project, Organic Farm Knowledge is expanding the organic knowledge reservoir even further to continue encouraging online knowledge exchange between organic actors. In the coming months, 30 new tools will be made available on new topics. For example, organic certification and regulation and organic aquaculture. 

Subscribe to the newsletter to receive periodic updates, and do not forget to follow the Organic Farm knowledge platform on Facebook and Twitter for news and events. For more information contact ambra.desimone@organicseuroe.bio

Organic Farm Knowledge was set up by in the framework of OK-Net Arable project and OK-Net EcoFeed developed it further. Both projects were coordinated by IFOAM Organics Europe and funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Core partners of the Organic Farm Knowledge platform are IFOAM Organics Europe, FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture) and ICROFS (International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems).

OrganicAdviceNetwork is pleased to announce the “Joint Workshop on Soft Skills”, organised in partnership with our sister projects, AdvisoryNetPest and Stratus, scheduled for 29^th of January 2025. For the OrganicAdviceNetwork, this workshop will offer an invaluable opportunity for advisors in the organic sector to enhance key interpersonal skills critical to effectively supporting organic producers.

Designed to empower advisors, the workshop focuses on developing essential soft skills -such as active listening, empathy, and effective communication- that are fundamental to building trust and fostering strong relationships with producers. These skills are especially valuable within the diverse contexts and unique challenges of organic farming across Europe.

The workshop will be delivered online on 29 January and is structured in two parts:

• The first part will include participants from OrganicAdviceNetwork and AdvisoryNetPest to present and discuss best practices in soft skills, creating a foundational understanding for all.
• The second session will integrate participants joining the Stratus project in-person training in Brussels, providing an opportunity to address specific advisory needs and explore tailored support methods.

We invite organic advisors and advisory organisations to join this unique event and contribute to a dynamic exchange on the role of soft skills in advisory services. Interested participants can register on the OrganicAdviceNetwork website, where additional information on the workshop agenda and specific sessions will soon be available.

Stay tuned for updates as we work together to equip advisors with the skills needed to foster resilient, sustainable, and productive organic systems across Europe.

For more information, contact ecovalia.projects@ecovalia.org or claire.morelle@organicseurope.bio

IFOAM Organics Europe, as part of our work in the new Horizon Europe DARWIN project, organised and hosted an event titled “Science-policy seminar on detection methods for NGT products and relevance for biosafety and supply chain transparency” that brought together scientific experts on new genomic techniques (NGTs) with EU policymakers, specifically national experts from EU Member States, including members of the Working Party of Genetic Resources and Innovation in Agriculture and relevant staff in the Permanent Representations. The private event was held at the Organic House in Brussels on 19 November 2024. It was well-attended with around 20 in-person participants and a few more joining online.

DARWIN’s main objective is to develop analytical methods capable of detecting the genomic changes introduced by NGTs such as CRISPR/Cas, and thus underpin traceability throughout the supply chain. Watch the project’s explainer video HERE for more information. The purpose of the Science-Policy Seminar was to communicate to policymakers that the development of detection methods is possible, and already underway in the DARWIN project, and to enable ample room for questions and exchange to get close insights on the latest scientific progress.

Some argue that gene edited crops differ from old GMO crops in terms of level of intervention, the absence of the introduction of foreign DNA, and their undetectability with current GMO detection methods and thus need to be regulated differently.

First, Dr. Odd-Gunnar Wikmark, Research Director of the Gene Technology, Environment and Society research group at the Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE) and coordinator of the project, gave an overview of DARWIN and continued with a scientific presentation on “Promising pathways for untargeted detection methods”. He presented the work of DARWIN partner Sciensano showing that, using a combination of whole-genome-sequencing methods, a single DNA base pair change could be detected in trace amounts (0.1%) in both pure products and in mixtures (find the publication here). He then went on to explain how this sequencing and analysis approach, combined with machine learning and bioinformatics tools, could be used to create a unique genetic fingerprint for a specific NGT line. In his conclusions, Dr. Wikmark stressed that this approach requires information on full genome sequences. He also emphasized that the funding for research on novel detection methods has so far been limited, highlighting the importance and urgency of projects like DARWIN.

Dr. Philomena Chu, Senior Researcher in the same research group at NORCE, complemented the first scientific presentation by informing participants about promising detection methods based on a targeted approach. This means searching for a specific genomic sequence that is known in advance. Why are new targeted approaches needed? Philomena explained that current detection methods fail to meet the “minimum performance requirements” for the sometimes-subtle genetic changes introduced using NGTs. Prior work has shown that using a method called Real-Time PCR gives sufficient sensitivity and robustness when tested using pure DNA of a gene-edited product, but that specificity and robustness fall short when applied to real-life scenarios such as presence in food, feed, and seeds (publication). DARWIN will continue the work of optimizing the Real-Time (quantitative) PCR methods using a combination of new computational and laboratory techniques. The most promising method will be put to the test in a full validation study involving multiple independent laboratories.

Alexander Hissting, Managing Director of Germany’s Verband Lebensmittel ohne Gentechnik / Association Food without Genetic Engineering (VLOG), was the third distinguished speaker. In his presentation titled “Relevance of detection methods from a food supply chain perspective” he showed that the market and the consumer demand for certified non-GMO products in Germany as a case study has only been increasing since VLOG’s founding in 2010 and continues to do so (over € 17 billion in sales in 2023). Recent consumer surveys also showed that more than 80% of people expect non-GMO-labelled products to also be free of NGTs. As one of his key messages, Mr. Hissting concluded that, “Analytical detection methods are highly relevant in order to keep non-GMO chains of custody NGT-free.

Participants showed a clear interest in the work being undertaken in the DARWIN project and its policy implications.

Eric Gall, Deputy Director of IFOAM Organics Europe, moderated the meeting. Reflecting on the seminar, he said: “Political discussions on a potential new regulatory framework on NGTs need to be aligned with scientific progress. Policymakers need to take into account that the development of analytical detection methods for NGTs are in full gear, with significant implications on the regulation thereof. A key takeaway of the session is that a priori knowledge on the genetic sequence information of the modified plant and its parental lines are indispensable for the development of adequate detection methods. This points to the importance of disclosing more information by NGT developers rather than less, which is currently the case in the Commissions’ legislative proposal. Also, we must not forget about the role of traceability in the absence of analytical detection methods, which is essential to provide reliable information on whether a product was genetically modified through NGTs.”

To keep up with the DARWIN project you can subscribe to the newsletter and follow on LinkedIn and Bluesky. As an IFOAM member, you can access the PowerPoints used by the speakers, which can be found in the member extranet.

France’s Dordogne department hosted a delegation of some 25 people from several European countries for two days from 27 –29 November, as part of the SchoolFood4Change project. The delegation members came to learn about the model developed by the department, which offers 100% organic, local, home-made and seasonal meals in secondary school canteens.

Eight years ago, a clear policy choice was made in Dordogne with a firm vision: healthy food in schools must also be sustainable, 100% organic and as local as possible. This vision is supported on different policy levels and by all stakeholders. The approach that the department took was to work step by step and kitchen per kitchen, to assess practically what was necessary to make the change, in terms of staff capacity, infrastructure and procurement processes. The program has implemented this approach for 100% organic in half of the 35 middle schools and aims to implement it in all in the coming years. An important detail: the total food cost did not increase while making this shift! For instance, they also buy entire animals or half carcasses, from which they then make their own broth or sausages. This is all done in their own kitchen.

The SchoolFood4Change project helped the department of Dordogne in knowledge exchange with partners from all over Europe on how to advance sustainable public procurement, but also how to design healthy menus, train chefs, engage the wider school community and teach students about food related subjects. Project partners from Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Slovakia, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Czech Republic, Spain, Austria and France, from local governments, research institutes and NGO’s, with different food cultures and school food approaches agreed that the Dordogne model was very inspiring and a great opportunity to learn (and taste)!