Presentation on th Core Farmer Consumer Partnerships project given at the Biofach meeting

Padel, Susanne

English

Organic Eprints

Ethical Values of Organic FoodSusanne PadelConceptual framework  Review concerns/valuesCompare concerns with organic regulation Compare concerns with organic regulation (EC/834/2007) > OrganicPlusEthical traditions Ethical traditions Certification Analysis communication strategies of  Analysis communication strategies of >100 companies in five European ti countriesValues in IFOAM principlesEOCLOGY HEALTHValues in IFOAM principlesEOCLOGYEcological systems Closing cycles Sit ifiHEALTHSystem healthSoil & plant healthAnimal health Site specific Reduced input useSelf regulationBio diversityAnimal healthIntegrityResilience Food quality Bio- diversityEnvironment protectionFood qualityNon-pollutingNaturalnessSustainabilityEquity & Respect Justice  Precaution & preventionSustainabilitySystem thinkingFood sovereigntyAnimal welfareStewardship Precaution & preventionResponsibilityExcluding GMOFuture generationsTransparencyFAIRNESSgTacid knowledgeCAREStakeholders of organic sectorFarmer/grower Regulators RegulatorsControl bodiesControl bodiesProcessors /Traderbodies bodiesResearchers Researchers Researchers ResearchersConsumer Policy makers Policy makersCoverage by EU regulation 834/2007 Categories and concerns gy gSustainable resource use LimitedgEcologicalSustainable resource use LimitedProtection of ecosystems/biodiversity  LimitedF d lit d f t t ib ti t h Ll dSocial Food quality and safety contributing to human healthLargely coveredTransparency and trustworthiness Partly coveredCi i ibilit d Nt d t i i il f i Civic responsibility and care Not covered except in principle of processingSafe and equitable working environment Not covered Economic Fair and equitable financial returns for farmers (and consumers)Regulation aims for fair competition, but no targets on prices are setCultural/Other Cultural/OtherLocal and regional production Not covered except compulsory to label of origin of raw materialsAnimal welfare Covered but no specific targets set pgIntegrity of supply chains Limited coverage through control systemEnvironmental impactMinimise pollution EC 834/2007 set limits for input useSustainable resource usefor input use Few rules about t i bilit fProtection of biodiversity/Mt i d b tsustainability of resource use  or protection of bi di itbiodiversity/landscapesMentioned by most stakeholdersbiodiversityConcern Organic standardsFor exampleProducts: Cereals, milk, other dairy products sunflowers products, sunflowers, Activities: particularly engaged in nature conservation and realises special conservation and realises special projects on their farm as e.g. protection ff f of butterflies, amphibians and frogs. Claims: no slogans  gShort texts on packaging, e.g. how to preserve the habitat of the butterfly preserve the habitat of the butterfly Social concernsEC Reg does not EC Reg does not regulate workplace or skillsSafe and equitable work or skillsEC national labour regulations applyequitable work placeregulations applyIFOAM and severalSkills, knowledge di f t i IFOAM and several private standards endorse ILOand informationendorse ILO conventions  Mentioned by all stakeholder groupsConcerns Organic StandardsgpFor example Placido Rizzotto For example Placido RizzottoProducts: variousActivities: farm Mafia land, offer work to young people especially to young people, especially disabled and former convicts Claims: Free Earth from Mafia oppression’ oppressionEconomic impactNot addressed directly in any Fair and equitable financial returns fl l tyyorganic standard for all operatorsProducts available and affordable to consumerFairtrade standardsconsumer Mentioned by producers and consumersFairtrade standardsOrganic ethical trade pilot schemesConcern Organic standardspUplaender dairy Uplaender dairyProducts: Dairy yActivities: A fair price  for local farmers ensuring their for local farmers, ensuring their existence and futureClaims: ’Fair prices for our dairy farmers; 5 cents directly; actively for farmers; 5 cents directly; actively for the domestic organic farmers as fair prices ensure the future prices ensure the future.Impact on animals Impact on animalsAnimal health and lf EC 834/2007 has stronger emphasis on welfare is enhanced Potential conflicts with other goalsprinciples than before and some rules recognised as part of other goals Define animal welfare?  Wellbeing in the sense of  recognised as part of organicghealth and welfare Animals rights Welfare certification protocols  e g Freedom food  e.g Freedom food Welfare quality projectConcern Organic standardsFor exampleProducts: MeatAt ii t i Ai l l h t d t h Activities: Animals are slaughtered on the farm or at the small local abattoir nearby to reduce the transport distance. Slaughter is as quick and painless as possible. qp pClaims: ’Well Hung Meat company’; Tasty, organic and produced to the highest organic and produced to the highest standards of animal welfareSystems and supply chainsLimited provision in any standardOrganic integrity throughout supply chain any standardNew labelling ihsupply chainTransparencyrequirements to show country codeMany initiativesLocal/regional supply andpyDiffi lt t t iMany initiatives to show provenancesupply and marketsDifficult to categorise according to impact Integrity difficult to auditConcern Organic standardsResourcesCALBiodiversityLandscapeECOLOGICCare farmsSocial projects & charityFamily farms & farmers in needOCIALWorking conditions of employeesAdded value in the regionSOCFair price - farmer orientedFair price - farmers and consumersFair price - additional value ECONOMICLocal & regional Communication & informationERAL /ERRural customs / traditions & originalityAnimal welfareIndividual attitudesCULTUROTHE0 1 02 03 04 05 06 0No of companiesDifferent arguments for different Different arguments for different product categories pgEconomy Ecology/EnvironmentSocial CultureDairy products Fair price - Landscape; Family farms Dairy products Fair price farmer orientedLandscape; ResourcesFamily farms Vegetables &  Resources Social projects Communicatio gFruitspjn & informationMeat Biodiversity; Care farmingAnimal welfareCereals Resources;BiodiversitySocial projectsCare farmingFamily farmsConclusions Many companies practise organic agriculture in line with a broad range of values of the core concept of organicImpact on environment/soils, social, economic p, ,but also animals and culture  provenance integrity and trust provenance, integrity and trust Several are not or partly or not covered by itd d ti t f organic standards – opportunity for differentiationPt i l t Practical steps What is the companies philosophy  What is the companies philosophyEthics is not just a marketing toolConsumers can only align their choices if they know Where do the practical activities differ from mainstream organic? Can this be verified? mainstream organic? Can this be verified? Who will benefit (other people, animals and environment)?  and how?  Is this important to consumers?  Is this important to consumers? Acknowledgements and further Acknowledgements and further information The author(s)/editor(s) gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this report provided by th b f th CORE O i F di the members of the CORE Organic Funding Body Network http://www.coreorganic.org/ They were former partners of the FP6 ERA-NET  They were former partners of the FP6 ERA-NET project, CORE Organic (Coordination of European Transnational Research in Organic  gFood and Farming, EU FP6 Project No. 011716) which was finalised in September 2007Further information at http://fcp coreportal org/  Further information at http://fcp.coreportal.org/

Ethical values of organic food

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Organic Eprints