New ways of regulating organic food and farming in Europe

There is a paradigm shift needed in standard setting towards assessing progress rather than failure. Such systems needs good subject-related principles and objectives (e.g. for good animal housing). These need to be linked to decision criteria and suitable indicators, possibly more outcome and development-oriented. Assessment systems and Code(s) of (best) Practices should be developed by researchers, advisers and practitioners as complementary tools for re-oriented progress certification

French study on Quality and Safety of Organic Food (AFSSA 2003 Evaluation nutritionnelle et sanitaire des aliments issus de l’agriculture biologique)

The presentations summarises the results of a study on organic farming and food quality published 2003 in France. Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments (AFSSA) (2003): Evaluation nutritionnelle et sanitaire des aliments issus de l’agriculture biologique. AFSSA, F-94701 Maisons-Alfort, France These Conclusions of the study are: · Confirmation of most of the findings in other similar studies · Interesting findings with regard to health promoting compounds · More studies are needed (consumption studies) · Several negative prejudgements about safety of organic food have not been confirmed · Regarding food safety issues: in some areas more monitoring might be needed · The system approach of Organic Farming is recognized as a potential model for more sustainable food safety strategie

Food Safety Debate and Development of Standards/Regulations for Organic Farming and Organic Food

There is an on-going debate, in which way Organic Food production systems do contribute to food safety. Only few comparative studies do exist. However Organic Farming developed a system approach which is mainly focussing on the process of production rather than on the end-product analysis. This approach, which is traditionally outlined in Standards and Regulations for Organic Farming, can bring benefits for food safety issues such as less contamination with chemicals, etc. But not all food safety areas are covered in standards/regulations, mainly because Food Safety is an issue of public health laws, which Organic Farming has to fulfil as well

Consumer attitudes and expectations of organic wine

Within the European Union-funded research project ORWINE (Organic viticulture and wine-making) a qualitative consumer study was carried out in 2006 in the four case study countries Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland. The aim of the study was to identify consumers’ attitudes and expectations of organic wine. In all case study countries, organic wine has a positive image regarding grape production and wine processing. Furthermore, organic wine is perceived as being healthier compared to conventional wine. However, regarding the sensorial quality, organic wine still faces image problems, although the taste image has improved. Consumers expect that organic wine is healthy, pure and naturally produced. A majority are sceptical of using sulphites and other additives and processing aids in organic wine processing. If organic wine processing is regulated on EU-level, consumers will expect that these rules governing organic wine fit with the image and expectations of organic wine being a “natural” and healthy product, which obtains as much as possible the original attributes and quality

Bio Suisse Bans Hybrid Cereals

On April 19th, 2006, the 100 delegates of Bio Suisse, the Swiss organic umbrella organization, voted to ban Hybrid varieties in organic cereals (except maize). This decision primarily concerns rye. Organic rye is grown on only 250 ha, about 20% of which is sown to hybrid varieties at present. About 60% of total organic demand is imported. Hybrid varieties of the other cereals are not yet being grown. The delegates decided that it is time to act now to send a signal to breeders and to the international organic community before the alternatives to hybrids vanish

Approaches Used in Organic and Low Input Food Processing – Impact on Food Quality and Safety. Results of a delphi survey from an expert consultation in 13 European Countries.

The overall objective of the subproject on processing, where the Delphi expert survey was an important task, is “to develop of a framework for the design of “minimum” and “low input” processing strategies, which guarantee food quality and safety.” It should support the overall aim of the integrated QLIF Project (Quality of Low-Input Food) in improving quality, ensuring safety and reducing costs along the European organic and “low input” food supply chains through research, dissemination and training activities. The method chosen was the Delphi method. The work was carried out in the form of a two step Delphi survey. In the first round 250 experts in 13 countries in Europe were involved, and were asked to respond to a standardised questionnaire in October and November 2004 and the second round from March to May 2005. The Delphi expert survey was designed in such a way that the most important and currently discussed aspects regarding organic food processing have been taken up. 120 experts from 13 countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, and Switzerland) answered the first round and 83 experts from 13 countries answered the second round. Based on the experiences from other EU projects (Hamm et al. 2002), a classification was made with regard to the development stage of the country in the organic market development

Focus groups of value concepts of producers: National Report Switzerland

The Organic Revision project was funded by the EU with the aim of supporting the further development of the EU Regulation 2092/91 on organic production. As part of the project focus groups were run in five European countries on value concepts of organic producers and other stakeholders, during 2004-2005. The project aims to provide an overview of values held among organic stakeholders, and of similarities and differences among the various national and private organic standards. In Switzerland, three group sessions were held with established organic farmers, two groups with newly converted organic farmers, one group involved experts from BIO SUISSE and one group was conducted with students from Agronomy, Environmental Sciences and Geography faculties of Zurich. The following conclusions were reached: Almost all participants were engaged in organic agriculture based on a certain believe or because they just like organic farming. Not only farmers had strong concerns with regard to the current development. The discussion about the basic values and the over-arching principles of organic agriculture were seen as very positive and a move in the right direction. The health of the ecosystem were in the discussions several times a fundamental value. Fair trading conditions were seen for many participants as a core issue. The producers did see the maintenance of their family farm and the farm succession as major issue. Many farmers were against an industrialisation of agriculture and against a too strong commercialisation of their products. Several farmers and several groups mentioned the problem of the lack of solidarity between farmers. Solidarity should get more importance in the future. Several farmers wished that there will be better cooperation between farmers and market actors as well as a better common strategy with a clear concept. Another issue was a truthful and careful processing, which is also for farmers very relevant. The farmers as well as the experts found that the added value of the production, the ideologic content of the products, and as well as the special intrinsic quality of the products are very important. Furthermore farmers and experts were in favour of “100 % entirely supply and market chains with only organic product, where not only the producers but also the trader and sales staff is convinced of organic agriculture. Many producers found that the communication with costumers, in particular public relation, will be important to survive on a competitive market and must be improved. A secure livelihood, surviving on he market and the strong workload were for many producers a major issues. Another central discussion point was the overregulation and inspection. Not only the producers but all main actors wished that the standard/rules are more comprehensive and the inspection work less bureaucratic. This issue is highly relevant not only for organic farmers. Experts saw a potential for an adaptation of the standards. In particular the health of the Ecosystem and the regionality are seen as key topics

Standards and Regulations

Contents 1 International Standards 1.1 IFOAM Standards 1.2The Codex Alimentarius 2 National and Supranational Regulations 2.1 The EU Regulation on Organic Production 2.2 Other National Regulations 2.3 US and EU Import Procedures 3 Private Standards 4 Relationship to Fair Trade 5 Literatur

Regional variations in standards – problem or opportunity?

A preliminary analysis and evaluation is made of the differences between the various organic standards and of the different implementation rules of the EU Regulation 2092/91 in Europe. This is part of an EU-funded project on the revision of this regulation. These preliminary results show that many differences have specific justifications, which are strongly influenced by specific national or regional circumstances or policy environment. The potential for more regional variation is discusse

Organic farming values in Switzerland – results of a focus group study

Eight focus group discussions, conducted in 2004 and 2005, about ethical values among established and recently converted organic producers (mountain and lowland area) and other stakeholders in Switzerland are summarised. The aim was to contrib-ute to the elaboration of principles for the new EU regulation for organic food and farming as part of the EU Organic-Revision project. The participants’ values were contrasted with the four new principles of organic production of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements). Health and ecological sustainability were key issues. The producers saw secure livelihood, the maintenance of their family farm, authenticity, animal welfare and farming with nature as major issues. The sys-tem approach was important for other stakeholders. The major value conflicts were seen to arise from conventionalization and globalisation of the organic agriculture sector. Another central discussion point was the overregulation and inspection. Ethical values and principles should play a more important role in standard setting and trade