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EU: dramatic insect decrease requires a complete and comprehensive ban

Other issues Agriculture

This Tuesday, the competent expert committee of the EU member states in Brussels voted proposals of the European Commission for the ban on the three neonicotinoids imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam.

Organic competence for smallholders in Africa and India

Other issues Agriculture

IFOAM Organics International, Naturland and FiBL are working together to build up organic competence in selected Green Innovation Centres.

Glyphosate: majority of MEPs for Commission decision to be annulled? 

Other issues Agriculture

The Greens/EFA group will try to build a majority in the European Parliament to refer the European Commission’s decision to renew the licence for glyphosate to the European Court of Justice.

EU: call for Special Committee on authorisation process of pesticides

Other issues Agriculture

At yesterday's Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, the Greens/EFA group will call for the establishment of a special committee to investigate the handling of the assessment process for pesticides.

Chile: new organic label launched

Other issues Agriculture

All organic agricultural products marketed in Chile or abroad will carry the new Chilean organic label in future.

5th Organic Processing Conference: final program online

Other issues Agriculture

The program of the 5^th Organic Processing Conference „Improving Organic: Making it happen - Digital opportunities for organic processors“ taking place on 16-17 January 2018 in Zwolle, The Netherlands, is now final.

Sikkim: An organic vision becomes reality

Other issues Agriculture

Sikkim, a small northeastern Himalayan state between Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan that boarders China in the North, made an important decision in 2010. Chief Minister Sri Pawan Chamling had a visionary goal: he wanted to place the state’s entire agriculture land under organic management. To achieve his goal, Chamling launched the Sikkim Organic Mission and within 15 years, the entire agriculture process was converted to organic, and Sikkim was declared “Organic State“ in 2016. This is a worldwide lighthouse example for further conversion of lands towards a 100% organic status. Watch the Video.

Spain: Catalonia is the organic hub

Other issues Agriculture

Catalonia concentrates 25.7% of manufacturing operators, 36.1% of importers, 39.13% of exporters and 26.01% of organic sector marketers throughout the state, says the statistics of the organic production in Spain 2016.

Breaking: EU renews glyphosate licence for five years

Other issues Agriculture

It´s hardly to believe! Germany voted yes for a five years renewal for the weedkiller glyphosate - this ensured the qualified majority for the approval.While massive protests took place the member states disregarded the citizens requirements. 

Study: Major changes needed if CAP is to be made fit for purpose

Other issues Agriculture

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is not fit for purpose, according to a new study co-commissioned by the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament.

OWC India: OWA winner Chamling celebrated in Delhi

Other issues Agriculture

On the occasion of the Organic World Congress of IFOAM – Organics International, which was held in Delhi from 9th to 11th of November, Honorable Chief Minister Pawan Chamling of the Indian State of Sikkim was felicitated at the opening session of the congress in the presence of  the global organic movement.

EU Organic Regulations confirmed

Other issues Agriculture

On 20 November 2017 member states represented in the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) endorsed the deal on the overhaul of existing rules on organic production and labelling of organic products.

PAN Europe: the European Court’s chance to revolutionize EU pesticide policy

Other issues Agriculture

In October, the European Court of Justice received four prejudicial questions related to the lack of reliability of the current pesticide risk assessment of EU by the French tribunal of Foix. As the debate about glyphosate raises identical issues, this is a prevailing problematic. According to PAN Europe, there’s a chance that the safety of citizens and the environment within the EU gets improved as a result of the European Court’s answers to the questions.

OWC India: Winners of Organic Farming Innovation Awards 2017

Other issues Agriculture

On 10^th November 2017, the winners of the OFIA were announced at a ceremony held during the Organic World Congress in New Delhi, India.

Expensive orchids: vanilla prices and the consequences

Other issues Agriculture

The weather and rising demand are driving up the price of vanilla pods. The spice is not yet worth its weight in gold, but a kilo is currently much more expensive than silver. A natural substitute doesn't exist, and quickly raising production levels is not an option.

IFOAM: organic agriculture to combat climate change

Other issues Agriculture

At the moment, presided over by the Government of Fiji, the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the headquarters of the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany, is still ongoing. With reference to the event, IFOAM – Organics International calls upon the participating parties to concentrate on mitigating the consequences of climate change people have to face who actually contributed least to the problems.

USA: prohibition of aquaponics in organic food production rejected by NOSB

Other issues Agriculture

At a meeting on the 1^st November 2017, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) rejected the proposal to ban hydroponic and aquaponic production methods under the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program.

Glyphosate: no majority for a license-renewal

Other issues Agriculture

Yesterday, the EU expert committee held a meeting in Brussels in order to vote on the five-year re-authorization of the herbicide glyphosate within the EU. Even after yesterday’s referendum in the lasting debate about the renewal of the pesticide’s approval, there hasn’t been a qualified majority. The committee voted neither for nor against the European Commission’s five-years-proposal.

Glyphosate in the EU: „The commission is tricking”

Other issues Agriculture

Germany: organically managed land expanded by nearly 15% in 2016

Other issues Agriculture

In 2016, organically managed land in Germany grew by around 162,000 hectares to 1.25 million hectares, which equates to a rise of almost 15% compared with 2015. This growth is divided equally between pasture and arable land. The federal states of Saxony and Bavaria saw the greatest expansion. The biggest areas of organically managed land as a proportion of the total agricultural land were to be found in the federal states of Saarland, Hesse and Brandenburg. Lower Saxony had the smallest share of organic land (3.4%).

Ecofruit conference 2018: call for papers

Other issues Agriculture

From 19^th – 21^st February 2018, the 18^th International Conference on Organic Fruit Growing (Ecofruit) will take place at the University of Hohenheim in Germany. Among others organized by Foeko e.V., Ecofruit aims at bringing together European researchers and consultants working on topics related to organic fruit growing.

OWC: biggest organic farming event on the planet

Other issues Agriculture

The Organic World Congress (OWC) is a global forum for organic farming and organic agriculture. It is coming to India for the first time in 40 years and will take place from 9-11 November 2017 Greater Noida, New Delhi. The event will play a critical role in strengthening the world organic farming movement and tilting India’s agricultural. According to the organizers the OWC will welcome around 3,000 delegates from 110 countries. As a parallel event BioFach India together with India Organic Trade Fair will take place at the same venue.

Demand for new German government: safeguard GMO free products

Other issues Agriculture

Current seed evaluation shows that zero tolerance against GMOs works. Greenpeace, Bioland and IG Seed require to safeguard GMO free products.

Growing number of EU governments oppose re-approval of glyphosate

Other issues Agriculture

The political and public opposition to glyphosate is growing in Europe. Yesterday representatives of governments have again rejected the Commission’s proposal for a ten year renewal of the licence for glyphosate. A final vote has been postponed to November.

Glyphosate - ban in Europe?

Other issues Agriculture

The EU Parliament yesterday voted by a large majority for an expiry of the approval of the herbicide glyphosate by 2022. Parliamentarians thus clearly opposed the Commission's proposal for a ten-year extension.