The European Parliament has given its green light to the EU Action Plan for Organic Agriculture that aims to have 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming and see a significant increase in organic aquaculture by 2030.  This plan arises from the European Green Deal and complements the Farm to Fork strategy.  Organic farming offers high quality food with low environmental impact and plays a key role in reinforcing and developing the EU’s sustainable food system.

Shadow-Rapporteur and S&D MEP, Eric Andrieu, said:

“This important report is about us, our health, our way of producing food, and our sustainable development.  Organic farming does not use pesticides, allows an efficient use of natural resources, constitutes the highest benchmark in terms of animal welfare, and also helps to structure more sustainable food systems.

“This is the reason why we are greatly satisfied the European Parliament has confirmed the EU Commission’s Action Plan For Organic Farming with the aim of having  25% of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030.   Whereas the liberals and the conservatives try to use the war in Ukraine and threat of food shortages as a pretext to loosen the climatic and environmental ambitions in all sectors, and in particular agriculture, we believe ambitions still have to be pursued.

“This report insists, in particular, on the need to stimulate consumer demand. To this end, increasing the use of organic food in collective catering is proposed, as well as combatting excessive margins practiced by certain distributors, which reduce access for less wealthy consumers.

“The report also insists that the Common Agriculture Policy budget can be used to reward organic farmers for environmental services that they provide to society - including air and water quality, carbon storage, landscapes, etc.

“The objectives of the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy remain paramount, even if member states are hesitating. It is about a fair and economic balance between the agricultural model, our health and our environment.”

S&D coordinator in the agriculture committee, Clara Aguilera, added:

“This new development plan for organic farming continues in the right direction along the already positive path set by the previous plan, which lasted from 2014 to 2020.

“The development of organic farming has been massive in the last decade. It has grown by 66% across Europe. However, we are still lagging in this area, with huge regional and national differences with production percentages that reaches up to 23% in the case of Andalucía, for example, but much less in other areas, and 8.5% as an average across the EU of utilised agricultural area.

“It is therefore necessary to boost consumption and increase promotion to make citizens more aware.  At the same time, as the report states clearly, development and growth of the organic sector must be linked to the market.