On 25.3.21, the European Commission presented the ‘Action Plan for the Future of Organic Production within the European Union‘. (1) Thus proceeds the path announced in the
European Green Deal
, on 14.12.19, then declined in the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity 2030 strategies, on 20.5.20 (2,3).
However, the goal of covering 25 percent of Europe’s UAA (Utilized Agricultural Area) with the organic system has been belied by CAP 2021-2027 and #NextGenerationEU, which are completely devoid of suitable measures to support organic production (4,5). So much so that the Commission itself, in its 2021-2030 scenario report, predicted that organic crops could reach 10 percent of UAA in the coming decade, up from 8.5 percent today. (6)
Organic production, the European Commission’s Action Plan.
The European Commission’s Action Plan consists of 23 activities, developed along 3 axes:
– Stimulate consumption of organic products,
– Increase organic production,
– Improve the sustainability of the organic sector.
1) Stimulate consumption
The Commission first proposes to stimulate demand growth, that is, to increase consumer interest and confidence in organic products, by:
– Information and communication campaigns on organic production,
– Promotion of the use of organic products in public canteens and schools through green procurement, (7)
– Prevention of fraud in trade, improvement of traceability,
– stimulus to the private sector, including through initiatives such as ‘organic vouchers’ to be distributed to employees for the purchase of organic food.
2) Increase in organic production
Only 8.5 percent of the UAA (Utilized Agricultural Area) in the EU is farmed organically. The ‘25 percent to 2030‘ target is surely unattainable without adequate support in CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) reform. The 2021-2027 CAP will come into effect in 2023 and is expected to allocate between €38 billion and €58 billion–depending on the outcome of ongoing negotiations–to the new eco-schemes. The most serious risk we have already pointed out is the prevalent fate of such resources to non-bio crops ‘cloaked in green’(greenwashing), thus distracting resources essential to the more authentic ecological transition (bio).
National strategies and related action plans will play an important role in supplementing the CAP policy plan, precisely in defining the funds to be allocated to the development of organic production. It then proposes to stimulate the creation of organic farmer networks (to be subject to group certification, see next section on EU Reg. 2018/848), the establishment of a European Organic Day, and the awarding of ad hoc awards to reward excellence at all stages of the supply chain.
Biodistricts, organic tourism, aquaculture
Biodistricts for organic tourism-that is, territories where organic farmers, citizens, tour operators, associations, and public authorities can collaborate in the sustainable and inclusive management of local resources-could in turn serve as a driving force in raising awareness of the value of this ‘second nature‘ approach.
Organic aquaculture in turn must be encouraged as an essential resource for the development of valuable sources of marine protein and omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). With the benefit of reducing pressure on fish resources and aquatic ecosystems.
3) Improving sustainability in the organic sector
Sustainability is the key word that only organic farming can truly boast. In its various declinations – e.g., peasant agroecology, biodynamics, permaculture – whose common trait is full respect for ecosystems.
Economic sustainability can be aided by the exclusive allocation to the organic system of at least 30 percent of the funds provided in Horizon Europe 2021-2027 for research in agriculture and forestry, as well as the enhancement of rural areas. With a view to continuous improvement of biodiversity and animal welfare, increased availability of organic seeds, reduction of LCA(Life Cycle Assessment) and use of plastics.
Sharing and blockchain
The European executive also proposes to focus innovation on the sharing of best practices among practitioners, their representations, research institutions(networking) and the use of the
blockchain
.
Public blockchain, as noted, can indeed improve traceability on the values that characterize organic productions, but more importantly, transparency on the value chain. (8)
Organic farming, the reg. EU 2018/848 from 1.1.22
The European legislature, due to the crisis related to Covid-19, postponed from 1.1.21 to 1.1.22 the implementation date of reg. EU 2018/848 on organic production and labeling of organic products. (9) The new regulation primarily aspires to ensure fair competition in agriculture, prevent possible fraud and preserve consumer confidence. With the following objectives:
– Simplify production standards by phasing out a number of exceptions and exemptions,
– Strengthen the control system through more thorough checks throughout the supply chain and more stringent precautionary measures,
– prescribe requirements identical to those established in the EU for third-country producers,
– Extend the organic scheme to a wider list of products,
– Simplify certification for small farmers through a new group certification system,
– Reduce the risks of accidental contamination by pesticide residues with a uniform approach.
Organic in the EU, the Commissioner’s words
Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, had said that ‘more consumption of organic products means less spending on public health‘. (10)
He was careful to point out, however, that this Action Plan is a kind of vademecum and is non-binding in nature so as not to upset the interests of global pesticide and seed monopolists(Big 4).
Member states will then be able to decide whether and how to implement the guidelines mentioned above, through national rural development plans and national organic plans that the Commission ‘hopes’ will express serious commitments and concrete awareness of the need for significant conversion to organic. For the agroecological transition in agriculture to be effective. (11)
Organic in Italy
Organic production in Italy continues to grow. Data compiled by SINAB (Sistema di Informazione Nazionale sull’Agricoltura Biologica – National Information System on Organic Agriculture) show that organic farming in Italy approached 2 million hectares in 2019, with an increase in UAA and number of operators close to 2 percent compared to 2018. 35 thousand more hectares, in just 12 months, involving 80,643 operators in total.
The Italian organic market in turn-according to estimates by ISMEA (Institute of Agricultural and Food Market Services, MiPAAF)-has reached 4 percent of food spending. With an extraordinary increase in sales of organic products in the large-scale retail (GDO) channel, +11%7. Organic of the rest accounts for 8 percent by value of exports.
NRP and ecological transition
The NRP–National Plan for Revival and Resilience–should take into account the above data to attribute effective support to every operator engaged in organic production, without excluding family and cooperative microenterprises (peasant agriculture).
It is necessary to bring value, employment and respect for the environment and health to individual territories, without forgetting the serious cost of so-called conventional agriculture, which is expressed, among other things, in the worrying data on water contamination levels in Italy. (12)
Agroecological transition can no longer wait
Dario Dongo and Elena Bosani
Notes
(1) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Action plan for the future of organic production in the European Union. COM(2014) 179 final. https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/food-farming-fisheries/farming/documents/organic-action-plan_it.pdf
(2) Dario Dongo, Marina De Nobili. Farm to Fork special, the strategy presented in Brussels on 5/20/20. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 5/24/20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/speciale-farm-to-fork-la-strategia-presentata-a-bruxelles-il-20-5-20
(3) Dario Dongo, Giulia Torre. Special – EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, the plan announced in Brussels. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 5/31/20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/speciale-strategia-ue-2030-per-la-biodiversità-il-piano-annunciato-a-bruxelles
(4) Dario Dongo. Post-2020 CAP, smoke gray. An organic revolution is needed. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 10/22/20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/consum-attori/pac-post-2020-grigio-fumo-serve-una-rivoluzione-bio
(5) Dario Dongo, Silvia Giordanengo. EU Budget 2021-2027 and #NextGenerationEU, focus on rural development and CAP financing. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 3.12.21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/mercati/bilancio-ue-2021-2027-e-nextgenerationeu-focus-su-sviluppo-rurale-e-finanziamento-della-pac
(6) Dario Dongo, Giulia Orsi. Agriculture in EU-27 scenario report 2020-2030. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 12.1.21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/mercati/agricoltura-in-ue-27-relazione-di-scenario-2020-2030
(7) Dario Dongo, Giulia Caddeo. Green procurement, the green push of reform. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 5/25/19, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/mercati/appalti-verdi-la-spinta-ecologica-della-riforma
(8) Dario Dongo. Public blockchain and agribusiness supply chain, sustainability for producers and consumers. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 28.2.21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/blockchain-pubblica-e-filiera-agroalimentare-sostenibilità-per-chi-produce-e-chi-consuma
(9) Dario Dongo. Organic, reg. EU 2018/848. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 6/22/18, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/biologico-reg-ue-2018-848
(10) European Parliament. Commitments made at the hearings of Commissioners-designate Commission Von der Leyen, 2019 – 2024 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2019/629837/IPOL_BRI(2019)629837_EN.pdf
(11) European Commission. The future of organic farming. https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/farming/organic-farming/future-organics_it
(12) Dario Dongo. ISPRA, 2020 report on pesticides in water. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 12/24/20, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/sicurezza/ispra-rapporto-2020-sui-pesticidi-nelle-acque
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Lawyer in Milan and Frankfurt am Main. An expert in family, juvenile and criminal law, she is now enrolled in a university master's programme in food law
