How can EU policies consider organic farming’s benefits for biodiversity?
IFOAM Organics Europe recently published a new report highlighting the contribution of organic farming to protecting Europe’s biodiversity. The report recommends Members States to fully use Eco-schemes and agro-environmental measures in their Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans to maximise the contribution of organic farmers to the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the new CAP.
Despite the disappointing deal on the CAP Strategic Plans Regulation, agreed upon within the last trilogue on 24-25 June 2021, Eric Gall, IFOAM Organics Europe’s Policy Manager maintains that “by supporting organic farming in their CAP Strategic Plans, Member States have a powerful tool to ensure that their national agriculture policy will start to address the collapse of our biodiversity, which has been a reality in the European countryside for decades.”
The European Green Deal, together with the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies, have highlighted organics’ importance to secure European biodiversity and climate objectives, namely by aiming at 25% of organic land in Europe by 2030. An expansion of organic farming would also help achieve other goals set by the strategies, such as the reduction of pesticides, fertilisers and antibiotics as well as nature restoration.
To learn more about:
- The report’s objectives and main findings, read IFOAM Organics Europe’s press release;
- The potential of national CAP Strategic Plans to achieve the 25% target of organic land in Europe by 2030, read IFOAM Organics Europe’s recent report;
- The Common Agricultural Policy and its role in achieving the 25% organic land target, read IFOAM Organics Europe’s webpage on the CAP;
- The 25% target itself, read IFOAM Organics Europe’s webpage on Food Policy and browse their library.
The report, commissioned by the European organic movement, is authored by Nic Lampkin and Bruce Pearce.
