Report on quality characteristics of varieties to be used in organic farming

The key questions which will be addressed in this report are: • Which variety characteristics are important for organic farming and are they different from conventional farmers demand? • What is an “appropriate“ variety for organic farming? • Is the actual variety offer available to organic farmers satisfactory? Is it different per crops type and/or per geographic area? • How should variety trials be conducted in order to supply the information needed by organic operators? The main answers may be synthesized as follows: Characteristics of varieties to be used in organic farming are partly different from the ones requested in conventional farming. Main differences are related to yield stability, processing properties and root-system development; The definition of “appropriateness”, related to variety for organic farming, is not easy to state as it may involves different aspects, depending on perspective (producers, processor, trader etc.). A list of characters that should be considered within the “appropriateness” concept is presented in the report; Among involved Members States experts there is no common evaluation of the actual variety availability: in general if for cereals there is a reasonably good level of availability, for vegetables and fodder crops mixtures the situation is never very positive even if it varies greatly among Member States; Valuable guidelines for cereal variety testing in organic farming have been produced by the COST 860 action “SUSVAR” (Sustainable low-input cereal production: required variety characteristics and crop diversity) and they are summarized in the report; Guidelines for vegetable variety testing are difficult to identify as among vegetables species the characteristics and requirements are very different. In the report some indications are reported. Recommendation for variety evaluation and testing in organic farming Several recommendation result from the report. For clarity sake they have been grouped in 3 parts, depending on which institution they are aimed to: Recommendations to EU and international authorities: • To implement the possibility offered by EU directives on seed trading (EEC Dir. 66/4021; EEC Dir. 66/4012 and EC Dir. 2002/553) to run controls on seeds for organic farming additional to the routine controls. This possibility may be used to evaluate variety appropriateness to organic farming conditions and consequently orientate the choice of varieties that seed companies offer to the organic sector. • To consider specific variety traits requested by organic farming systems in the test for variety inclusion into the registers of varieties. Recommendations to Member States: • To keep record of the variety requested for derogation and make it public. It may be a useful instrument for seed producers’ orientation. • To include specific local (National/Regional) demands from organic farmers in the variety trials. It means to include varieties that are supposed as fit to organic conditions by farmers but also to include specific characteristics in the evaluation criteria. • To promote public breeding for organic farming and to support spin-off of seed companies dedicated to organic seed production. A low-cost option may be participatory breeding that combines the advantages of introducing variety traits asked for by organic producers and facilitate dissemination. Recommendations to other stakeholders: • To involve nurseries in the debate about organic variety choice as they result to be an important bottle-neck for the use of organic seeds in vegetable production. • To promote timely programming of variety used and amounts of seed needed among producers in order to facilitate seed producers and distributors but at the same time to grand producers the right variety choice

Report on seed born diseases in organic seed and propagation material

The key questions which will be addressed in this report are: • Are seed born diseases an important factor that prevents seed companies from producing organic seeds and organic farmers from using them? • Which seed treatments are available in organic farming? Which treatments are or will be acceptable? To which degree are they effective? • Are the thresholds for seed born diseases different among Member States? Can this cause unfair competition among farmers and seed producers? • How did the health status of organic seed change in the last years? The main answers may be synthesized as follows: • Seed born diseases are an important factor influencing seed production and seed use in organic agriculture, but they are not the only obstacle that exists at the moment. • Awareness on the importance of seed health has increased considerably; “conventional” organizations such as ISF (International Seed Federation) or ISTA (International Seed Testing Association) give statements on seed health and seed treatments for organic agriculture. • In the last 5 to 10 years several methods and products of non-synthetic seed treatments (physical, microbiological, plant-based etc.) have been successfully tested on different host-parasite combinations and are potentially available for use in organic farming. However, there are no general treatments available that are effective for all host-pathogen combinations. • Due to the importance of seed health in organic agriculture, it is important that organically acceptable seed treatments are identified and authorized in organic seed production. This would assure organic producers reliable seeds for their farming operations. • Besides legal restrictions for quarantine diseases on seeds, most of the Member States have legal thresholds for seed born diseases, which however apply almost exclusively to cereals. For vegetables and legumes, Member States only have general statements on seed health. • Thresholds for seed born diseases in cereals vary between Member States. This may cause distortion in seed trade and use as one country may allow the import (from another MS) of seeds that do not fulfill certification limits in the importing country, but that are fully certifiable in the MS where they are produced. • Data on the status of organic seed health is available in few countries only. It would be very helpful if the MS kept annual records of the organic seed-lots’ health status as it would allow to monitor the presence of seed born diseases and risks and act consequently on the seeds and the crops. In general, available data for cereals does not show a clear trend of seed health development but rather highlights the influence of climatic condition. There also appears to be a general spreading of Tilletia caries, which may increase with lower control levels, especially with of-farm seed production. Spreading of seed-born diseases is greater in organic farming since few control measures are available. Recommendations for development of the legal basis for organic seed production: • Seed quality refers not only to purity and germination parameters but also to aspects of seed health. • Seed health in organic production is of crucial importance as healthy seeds are the basis for successful production, especially in organic farming systems, where less efficient plant protection agents are available for managing plant diseases and prevention is the main key of success. • There is a need to define and regulate which seed treatments can be permitted in organic farming (methods and products should be listed in the revised EU Reg. 2092/91 in annex II B) • In order to increase the availability of organic seeds and their assortment in terms of varieties, seed treatments (accepted in organic agriculture) should be made possible. • It would be advisable that all treatments which the seeds are subjected to are declared on the label. • Thresholds for seed born diseases in organic seeds must be strict and harmonized among Member States in order to avoid the spread of seed born diseases, difficult to manage in organic farming. Such thresholds must be based on sound scientific basis. • Organic seed-lots’ health status should be monitored on a yearly basis by seed health authorities

Analysis of differences between EU regulation 2092/91 related to other stan-dards – Potentials for harmonisation, simplification and regionalisation

An analysis is made of the differences between the EU regulation 2092/91 and se-lected organic standards as well as national governmental rules as part of an EU-funded research project on the revision of this regulation. The results show that many differences have specific justifications, influenced by specific national or regional circumstances or policies. The possible impacts/conflicts of the differences on con-sumer/public perception, trade and on the organic farming principles are explored. Main potentials for harmonisation, simplification and regionalisation of the EU regula-tion for organic food and farming are identified in the following areas: labelling, seeds, fertilising, pest and disease control, wild plants, animal feed, processing, biodiversity and contamination with pesticides/GMO