Agro-ecology and consumption
change can secure future food supply
Food security in times of
scarce natural resources requires an ecological re-think of our food and farm
systems
Brussels 10/11/2011 – Food systems must become more
sustainable, reduce the use of external inputs and improve nutrient recycling
to secure a sufficient food supply for future generations. Organic farming is
already many steps ahead on this path. This was the overall message of the
IFOAM EU Resource Efficiency conference held on Wednesday.
Commission reports on GMO policy must be followed by
overdue action
Brussels
28/10/2011– The reports published today
evaluating the European GMO legislation, must be followed by real action: The
European Commission must finally propose legislation change that solves the
pressing issues caused by GMO cultivation and GMOs entering the food chains
Commission reports on GMO policy must be followed by
overdue action
Brussels
28/10/2011– The reports published today
evaluating the European GMO legislation, must be followed by real action: The
European Commission must finally propose legislation change that solves the
pressing issues caused by GMO cultivation and GMOs entering the food chains
IFOAM EU Student CAP Seminar photos now available!
The agricultural sector must wake up
to the N and P dilemma!Conference on Resource Efficiency in Food Systems, 9 November, 14-18h, Committee of Regions, Brussels
Brussels, 24/10/2011 – The European agricultural
sector must adapt to the growing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deficiency in
Europe if it wants to continue being productive, competitive and
environmentally-responsible. As energy prices for the production of synthetic
nitrogen rise further, and mined phosphorus resources decline, it is becoming
increasingly evident that status-quo farming cannot continue indefinitely.
Climate change: A global approach to harmonising
productivity with sustainability in farming is needed
Brussels, 18 October 2011 – The public seminar “Agriculture
in times of climate change - Organic farming approaches to face the challenge”,
organised by the IFOAM EU Group, Bio Austria and MEP Elisabeth Köstinger
brought together international experts and stakeholders from across the organic
movement to address the role of the food and farming sector in adapting and
mitigating the effects of climate change and the potential of organic farming
in providing solutions to these challenges.
GMO industry must prevent
contamination and pay for damages they cause Socio-economic impacts of GMOs are
yet insufficiently appraised in EU
Brussels,
18/10/2011– The IFOAM EU Group urges the European Commission to take its conference
today on the socio-economic dimensions of GMO cultivation as a starting point
for serious efforts to solve the pressing issues caused by GMO cultivation and
to include the socio-economic impacts on the non GM food chain in further
considerations. Currently, the organic sector already faces heavy economic
costs to keep its production free of GM contamination through different
prevention measures, quality management and product recalls.
EU
consumption patterns a threat to stable food prices and resource efficiency
Message
of World Food Day 2011 gives us an opportunity to reflect on our consumption
patterns and resource efficiency
Brussels, 17/10/2011 – As the world commemorated
World Food Day, the IFOAM EU Group1 reiterates that this year’s theme of “Food
prices – from crisis to stability”, which may give people the impression that
the focus is on so-called developing countries, is as much of relevance to
Europe as the rest of the world.
CAP
reform - proposals lack ambition to mainstream sustainability
Organic
farmers and civil society must now stay on the ball to ensure the CAP meets
future challenges
Brussels,
12 October 2011 – The European Commission has unveiled its proposals for the Common
Agricultural Policy 2014-2020. Providing a slightly altered framework, the text
continues to lack ambition where substantial commitments are needed to shape
future farming to ensure the delivery of tasty food and a clean environment.
Brussels, 10/10/2011 – With the Environment
Council meeting today to assess the 6th Environmental Action Programme, due
to expire 2012, Europe is left to wonder whether a new EAP will come out that
will have the teeth to address impending environmental challenges such as
resource use, climate change and biodiversity.
IFOAM EU announces new speaker at Climate Change seminar
Brussels,
06/10/2011 – The IFOAM EU Group, Bio Austria and MEP Elisabeth Köstinger
are pleased to announce the inclusion of Peter Kuikman as a guest speaker at
its public seminar on Organic Agriculture and Climate Change which takes place
in the European Parliament on the 18 October 2011. Dr. Kuikman will
deliver the keynote speech on the need and potential for agriculture to
contribute to the management of greenhouse gas emissions.
IFOAM EU introduces guidelines for pesticide residue
contamination
Brussels 05/10/2011 -The IFOAM EU Group has published the
first edition of the “Guideline for Pesticide Residue Contaminations for
International Trade in Organic”. The guideline is intended to
provide support and information for organic trading and processing
companies on how to deal with this difficult topic.
Brussels 04/10/2011 – The
EU’s dependence on foreign soy will be one of the topics in the spotlight at IFOAM
EU’s1 conference “Resource Efficiency and Food Security:
Opportunities and challenges for sustainable food systems” on 09th
November in the Committee of the Regions building. By means of a two-pronged
approach, the EU’s dependence on feed imports will be investigated from both
the perspective of the EU, and of that of the exporting countries.
Environmental NGOs & farmers
condemn Commission plans to 'greenwash' the CAP
Brussels
12/09/2011 - Environmental NGOs (including IFOAM EU Group, WWF, EEB and Birdlife Europe) and farmers condemned plans to
greenwash the
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as revealed in a leaked Commission
document. The green groups say that unless the proposals are overhauled
to provide real environmental commitments, the policy will remain devoid
of any legitimacy. NGOs believe that while the Commission proposal
superficially commits to greening the CAP and to rewarding farmers that
deliver public goods, a close analysis shows that most of the
commitments are fake, empty or seriously underwhelming.
This year CAAE celebrates it's 20th anniversary. IFOAM
EU Group would like to congratulate them on all their success and their
continued efforts in the promotion and development of the organic sector
both
in Spain and throughout Europe.
Commission and Council must now step
forward in playing their part to strengthen the right for GMO free food
Brussels, 05/07/2011 – The European
Parliament has adopted today its opinion on the possibility for Member
States
to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs in their territory. The
IFOAM
EU Group welcomes MEPs’ support for a change of EU legislation that
would finally
oblige all member states to take appropriate measures to avoid the
unintended
presence of GMOs in other products and to establish liability systems
that
would ensure that the polluter has to pay in case of GMO contamination.
Full Press Release Available Here EU finances 2014-2020 – Food and Farm related funds:EU must prioritise sustainability, not stagnation
Brussels, 30/06/2011 – The European Commission
has
unveiled its proposal for the financial framework of the programming
period
2014-2020. The IFOAM EU Group sees a lack of ambition to clearly set the
priorities
on the further development of sustainable food systems in farm policy
and calls
on Council and Parliament to dedicate an increased share of the CAP
budget to
rural development measures to meet the importance of European wide
policies for
the European society by reversing the de facto overall budget cuts and
to use
the given framework to mainstream sustainability.
MEPs call for
strong 2nd Pillar - but remain vague on sustainability
Brussels, 23/06/2011 – The European Parliament has today adopted a resolution
on the Common Agricultural Policy 2020-2014, the so called “Deß report”,
named after the draftsman Albert Deß. The IFOAM EU Group
welcomes the fact that the European Parliament made a clear statement
for adequate funding of the 2nd Pillar in the next financial planning
period. Full Press Release
Available Here
Publication of factsheets on the CAP by NGO coalition
Brussels - 23 /06/2011: IFOAM EU Group with other NGOs published 13
factsheets "The Truth behind the CAP: 13 reasons for
green reform" about the CAP and:
wildlife, climate change, functional biodiversity, food consumption,
genetic resources, organic agriculture, grassland, HVN, pesticides,
agriuclture glbal impact, soil, water quality and water scarcity. Each
factsheet gives figures and facts and practicles exemples through case
studies. Press here to download the factsheets Strenghtened
2nd pillar urgently needed in financial EU framework 2014 - 2020
Brussels, 22/06/2011- The
IFOAM EU Group calls for a strenghtened financial basis for the second
pillar under the financial framework 2014-2020 in a letter sent to
Commission President José Manuel Barroso today as it considers rural
development measures being of the upmost importance for the environment
and rural society. The letter to the
Commission is Available Here
Bio-Economy
must build on sustainable and participative food chains
Brussels
– 22/06/2011: The Conference
“Sustainable food chains for a European Strategy and Action plan towards
a
sustainable knowledge-based bio-economy by 2020” was held in the
European
Parliament today. The event brought together more then 100
participants who discussed the upcoming challenges for research and
innovation
towards a sustainable bio-economy with representatives from the European
Commission, the European Parliament, the research community, consumers,
farm
workers, regions and environmental organisations.
2nd ARC Conference: 'Consultation of Civil
Society on the Future of the CAP- One Year on - Was Our Voice Heard?'
Brussels
21/06/2011 - The
IFOAM EU Group, as member of the ARC2020, invite you to join the
conference on the 13th of July at the European Parliament to discuss the
outcomes of the consultation on the CAP, which happened one year ago.
Was our voice heard?
E.coli: IFOAM EU welcomes EU support but asks for EU wide coordination
Brussels, 07/06/2011 – On
the occasion of the extraordinary meeting of the Agriculture Council
the IFOAM EU Group expresses its concern that weeks after the first
outbreak of a new strain of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) a
definite source has still not been identified. On the other hand the
Group welcomes the fact that EU ministers have agreed in principle to
compensate vegetable producers that have suffered serious losses as a
consequence of the outbreak. It urges for a better, EU wide,
coordination of the issue.
Budapest, 03/06/2011 –
The IFOAM EU Group underlines that in the current situation of
emergency neither speculations, nor accusations, nor giving the all
clear are appropriate reactions. The causes of the present outbreak
of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) that continues to have
devastating effects in Germany and other European countries are still
unclear. The IFOAM EU Group emphasises that the initial reports
implicating organic products as responsible for the outbreak are
unfounded. These facts have to be clearly communicated to the public,
so that further damage to the food and farming sector that was
wrongly blamed can be at least reduced.
Sustainable livestock systems
must be a core point in CAP reform
IFOAM EU Group calls for sustainable
livestock production on the occasion of the Informal Council meeting in
Debrecen
Debrecen, Hungary, 30/05/2011 –EU Farm Ministers exchanged views on how
the CAP should contribute to a sustainable livestock sector at their
informal council meeting at Debrecen, East Hungary. A delegation from
the IFOAM EU Group was privileged to be invited as an observer at the
meeting. The group highlights the critical un-sustainability of current livestock
production system that are heavily dependent on livestock feed imported
from all around the world. In contrast organic systems place a focus on
grass and clover based systems and other livestock feed produced on the
farm and linked holdings.
Resource efficient food system model on
Green Week
Brussels, 23/05/2011
– As
natural resources become scarce, production methods and consumption
patterns have to adapt. The efficient use of resources is crucial for
future farming. Organic farming can provide many assets regarding
resource efficiency, as it works in accordance with ecological
principles. The recent report of the UN special rapporteur on the right
to food underlines the role of agro-ecological approaches for food
security in a resource constraint world.
EU Biodiversity Strategy
Needs Ambitious Implementation
Brussels, 04/05/2011 – The European
Commission published its biodiversity strategy yesterday outlining EU
policies to halt the loss of biodiversity. The IFOAM EU Group2 believes
that the EU must establish an effective legal and financial framework if
the targets proposed in the strategy are to be met, especially in
relation to the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Brussels, 20/04/2011 - Brio is an Italian
company that produces only and exclusively organically grown fruit and
vegetables and freshly prepared foods to be marketed throughout Europe.
Externalisation of GMO Costs Must
End! Commission
report on socio-economic impacts of GMO cultivation is a compilation of
missed opportunities
Brussels, 15/04/2011 - The EU Commission published today a report
on socio-economic implications of GMO cultivation. The IFOAM EU Group
expressed its disappointment that the EU missed a chance for a serious
assessment of socio-economic impacts on the whole food chain.
IFOAM EU Group President Christopher Stopes elected as Chair of
the Commissions advisory group on Organic Farming.
Brussels, 12/04/2011 - IFOAM EU President, Christopher
Stopes has been elected as the Chair of the advisory group on organic
farming of the European Commission. It is the second time since 2005
that the IFOAM EU Group has provided the Chair for the official advisory
group of the European Commission.
Environment Ministers discuss climate and
water challenge on informal Council meeting
Gödöllő, Hungary,
25/03/2011 – EU Environment Ministers exchanged views on EU water
stocks, climate change and the Roadmap to a low-carbon economy in
Europe by 2050 at their informal council meeting.
"Pig Business - Time for change" EP
event, February 9, 2011
Brussels, 24/01/2011 -
Join the IFOAM EU Group and other not-for-profit movie supporters to
attend the 'Pig Business - Time for Change' event in the
European Parliament aiming to suggest the legislative changes in the
animal farm production in the EU.
