News
Getting food on the climate agenda - FoodSHIFT2030 webinar - 15 June 2021, online
Climate change policy debates fail to consider the interconnected nature of food systems and involve a wide range of actors.…
Sustainable food systems innovators, read FAO’s handbook!
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the…
IPBES and IPCC call to prioritize solutions benefiting both biodiversity and climate
On 10 June 2021, scientist and leading experts from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and…
09/06/2021
GMOs
European retailers take a strong stand against deregulating new GMOs
On 26 May 2021, European retailers took a strong stand against deregulating new GMOs in a joint resolution. One of…
For a just transition to align the EU food system with the Green Deal - 26 May 2021, online
French and European food systems need to be transformed to address health, environmental and social challenges. However, the current policy…
Vitamin B2 supplementation and copper reduction in organic farming - New RELACS practice abstracts
The RELACS project recently published three new practice abstracts (practical guidelines) on: Vitamin B2 supplementation for laying and parent hens…
19/05/2021
GMOs
New GMOs in Europe? Slow Food Europe podcast with our Policy Coordinator
Slow Food Europe just launched a podcast series dedicated to European food and farming policies, gathering experts to discuss hot…
Welcome note May 2021 newsletter
Dear readers, It is spring, a period I associate with birth and budding blossoms, the energetic execution of gardening plans…
05/05/2021
GMOs
Political hotspot May 2021 newsletter
On Thursday, 29 April, the Commission released their long-awaited in-house study on the ‘status of new genomic techniques under Union…
29/04/2021
GMOs
Organic movement raises red flag on assumed benefits deregulating new genomic techniques
BRUSSELS, 29 APRIL 2021 – The organic food and farming movement criticises the Commission’s plan to work on a new…
RELACS and Organic-PLUS collaborate to find alternatives to contentious inputs
On 8 April 2021, more than 50 participants joined RELACS and Organic-PLUS’ webinar to discuss both projects’ activities on reducing…
13/04/2021
Plant health care
Public consultation on the revision of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (SUD) legislation closes
While the European Commission is revising the Directive for a sustainable use of pesticides (the so-called SUD), IFOAM Organics Europe…
30/03/2021
GMOs
Civil society, farmers and business organizations: Vice-President Timmermans, don't deregulate GM crops & animals
BRUSSELS, 30 MARCH 2021 – Today, a large coalition of 162 civil society, farmers and business organisations calls on Vice…
23/03/2021
Plant health care
Have your say on future EU policy options on the sustainable use of pesticides: participate in the Commission’s public consultation
The European Commission is looking for stakeholders’ feedback to design future policy options for the revision of the Sustainable Use…
15/03/2021
Plant health care
The European Commission proposes updated rules for agricultural statistics on pesticides and fertilisers
The Farm to Fork strategy’s ambitions and targets have created needs for new data on pesticide and fertiliser use. In…
Watch RELACS’ new project video on copper replacement in Hungarian organic vineyard
RELACS just released a new project video on replacing copper in plant protection products in organic viticulture. In the organic…
01/03/2021
Fairness & transparency
Two months left to transpose the EU Unfair Trading Practices Directive
Only two months are left before the deadline for EU Member States to transpose the 2019 EU rules on Unfair…
[Exclusive for members] GMOs and gene editing in agriculture: Event recordings available until 15 March
On 10 February 2021, more than 160 participants and 7 speakers joined the online event GMOs and gene editing in…
Organic and Conventional sectors discuss genome editing at IFOAM Organics Europe event - 10 February 2021, online
IFOAM Organics Europe invited food & farming stakeholders and policymakers to discuss GMOs and gene editing in agriculture. With the…
09/02/2021
Climate change
Read EIP-AGRI’s brochure on climate-smart agriculture and learn about solutions for resilient farming and forestry
Farming significantly contributes to climate change with agriculture being responsible for about 10% of greenhouse gas emissions in the European…
Welcome note February 2021 newsletter
Dear readers, On behalf of the European organic movement, I would like to welcome you back after the winter break…
02/02/2021
GMOs
Detection Cibus’ GM-canola: An update
A regulation is only worth so much as it can be enforced. This is why on 7 September 2020, an…
From lab to field: RELACS’ first project video on new plant protection products replacing copper in organic viticulture
In their commercial vineyard in Frick, Switzerland, FiBL carried out 16 treatments of new plant protection products against mildew in…
Register now for our public event “GMOs and gene editing in agriculture: the benefits of regulation” - 10 February, online
How does organic & non-organic food and farming avoid contamination with GMOs? Why is it so relevant for food production…
1 million citizens are calling on the Commission: Our forests are in danger, act now!
One million people demand EU law to stop deforestation More than a million people have so far called for a…
13/11/2020
Plant health care
RELACS project on track despite Covid-19: First digital annual meeting - 10-12 November, online
The RELACS project’s third annual meeting took place digitally 10-12 November. It demonstrated that research in all work packages is…
Replacement of copper in organic farming – First results of RELACS experiments conducted by ÖMKi
Copper is currently used as a plant protection product (PPP) and/or leaf fertilizer in organic and conventional farming in several…
17/09/2020
GMOs
Reveal of a detection method for a gene-edited rapeseed - What is the significance and why is there a controversy?
A regulation is only worth so much as it can be enforced. This is why on 7 September, an open…
Help protecting our forests by demanding deforestation free supply-chains – Together4Forests
Forests and other ecosystems are under pressure worldwide: A total of 13 million hectares are deforested each year and almost…
07/09/2020
GMOs
First open source detection test for a gene-edited GM crop
This press release was first published by Greenpeace EU Brussels, 07 SEPTEMBER 2020 – Greenpeace, together with other non-governmental organisations,…
Farm gate nutrient budgets in organic agriculture
The RELACS project partners issued practical guidelines informing farmers about assessing the main nutrient flows in and out of their…
04/08/2020
Plant health care
Request for proposal: Conducting research on pesticide contamination in the environment and pesticide residues in organic food
IFOAM Organics Europe (IFOAM OE) is the European umbrella organisation for organic food and farming. We fight for the adoption…
Help us identifying the needs and knowledge gaps in organic fruit growing – Fill out BIOFRUITNET’s questionnaire
Plant protection against pests and diseases is a big issue for organic fruit growers, as fruit is a very sensitive…
European Patent Office: No patents on conventionally bred varieties
On 14 May 2020, the enlarged board of appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) has released an opinion that…
How much and which natural inputs does the organic sector need? – A lively debate during BIOFACH 2020
A lively discussion on natural inputs suitable for organic farming as well as future obstacles and opportunities for the sector’s…
30/01/2020
Plant health care
The organic movement and the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA) call for better regulation of natural origin plant protection technologies
IFOAM EU and the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA) published a five years roadmap for collaboration to promote the uptake of…
30/07/2018
GMOs
IFOAM EU welcomes the European Court of Justice decision that new genetic engineering techniques will be regulated as GMOs
BRUSSELS, 25 JULY 2018 – The organic food and farming movement welcomes the decision of the European Court of Justice…
17/04/2018
Plant health care
Plant health care in organic farming
The revision of the European legislation on “plant protection products” will be the chance to highlight the specific approach of…
Are you an expert on plant protection products and/or fertilisers? - Join the new IFOAM EU expert group!
A call for experts is now open to join an IFOAM EU expert group on Plant Protection Products and Fertilisers.…