The European Commission’s description of organic farming as “green by definition” in its CAP simplification proposal shows the key role organics must play, says IFOAM Organics Europe
IFOAM Organics Europe has welcomed the European Commission’s recognition of organic farming as “green by definition” in its CAP simplification proposal, pointing out that organic agriculture makes a significant contribution to the environmental sustainability of the EU agricultural sector.
Jan Plagge, president of IFOAM Organics Europe, commented: “Simplifying the CAP is welcome, it helps both farmers and national authorities, but it should go hand in hand with stronger incentives for farmers to engage in sustainable production methods, such as organic farming. Simplification should support - not dilute - the transition of the EU agri-food system towards sustainability. It is now crucial that Member States implement this package swiftly and effectively, as the real impact will be measured by what happens on the ground.”
IFOAM said it was also a recognition that the organic certification system, backed by ambitious EU regulations, was “an efficient simplification tool to ensure farm sustainability, both for farmers and for national authorities”.
Organic agriculture should logically play a more important role in a streamlined future CAP that is expected to focus on incentives, the organisation stated.
“The recognition of organic farmers as ‘green by definition’ for some conditionality requirements is a step in the right direction, since it provides additional incentives for farmers to invest in ambitious sustainable farming systems,” said Plagge. “This recognition is essential as organic farmers deliver many public goods that are currently not remunerated adequately – neither by the market, nor the CAP.”
IFOAM Organics Europe urged the European Parliament and Council not to use the simplification process to lower the environmental ambitions of the CAP.
“It is crucial to maintain a clear direction for the transition to sustainable agri-food systems in the EU, and to uphold the environmental performance of the Common Agricultural Policy as a priority to be achieved by better incentivising and supporting farmers to engage in an ambitious environmental re-design of their farms, that will make them resilient to future social and environmental crises,” IFOAM said.
