News
20/04/2021
Biodiversity
Sign the European Citizens’ Initiative to save bees and farmers!
To all our members, newsletter subscribers & website visitors who have not signed the European Citizens’ Initiative to ‘Save bees…
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…
Towards a new framework for EU soils?
Soil is a non-renewable resource key to all growing and living on it. Part of the EU Biodiversity strategy for…
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…
European Commission’s Soil Strategy
Healthy soils are essential to meet climate and biodiversity goals set by the European Green Deal. As part of the…
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…
11/03/2021
Biodiversity
Help us save bees and farmers - sign the petition to transform Europe’s food and farming systems now!
Do you want to help save bees and farmers? Then add your signature to The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) before…
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…
[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…
Registration to IFOAM Organics Europe Meets Business 2020 closes next week. Secure your spot!
IFOAM Organics Europe Meets Business 2020 is around the corner! In a little more than two weeks we will meet…
23/11/2020
Biodiversity
Sign the petition to call on Europe to save the bees and farmers!
More than 400.000 participants have already signed the European Citizens’ Initiative to ‘Save bees and farmers’ and you can add…
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…
IFOAM Organics Europe meets business – Agenda available! 8-9 December, online
Save the date for the next “IFOAM Organics Europe meets business” taking place online on 8-9 December 2020. “Bringing the…
15/10/2020
Biodiversity
Why is it important to save the bees and farmers? Watch this video
As part of their ongoing campaign, the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘Save bees and farmers!’ has released a set of…
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.…