Organics must be "given priority and not be placed at a financial disadvantage" in the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), according to IFOAM Organics Europe.

IFOAM Organics Europe is the European umbrella organisation for organic food and farming, with almost 200 members in 34 European countries.

The organisation has presented recommendations on how to ensure that the next CAP will "continue to deliver on social and environmental objectives, and how to maintain ambition for the development of organic farming in the future". 

This comes as the Council of the EU and the European Parliament are debating the future of the CAP post-2027 and how to amend the European Commission’s proposal.

'Lack ambitions'

According to IFOAM Organics Europe, organic farming plays a "key role in making the EU agri-food system more sustainable, offering a common baseline at the EU level while providing numerous environmental and socioeconomic benefits for farmers, but also beyond, for the whole society".

"Investing in organic farming is an efficient way to contribute to many goals and objectives covered by the different funds of the future budget of the EU, through the CAP and beyond," it said.

"However, the current discussions on the CAP lack ambitions to support the sector in its growth and to provide support for farmers engaged in sustainable methods of production."

Food system

Speaking today (Wednesday, July 1), Dora Drexler, IFOAM Organics Europe's new president, said that in many countries there has been an area-based payment which "contributed a lot to the growth of organic area".

"However, we do see in many cases that this is not enough to transform the food system into a more sustainable structure," Drexler said.

"For this we not only need area-based payments, but we need to look at the supply chains as well. We need to look at the markets and possibility to also foster the demand for organic products."

Drexler said it is "very important" that there is a common vision or strategy behind the development of organics.

"By 2030, organic area was aimed to reach 25% in the EU. Although this 25% will probably not be reached, this ambitious target was a driver of change in the whole EU," Drexler said.

Organic farming

Around 13% of European farmers – more than 438,000 producers managing over 18 million hectares – are engaged in organic production.

In the CAP post-2027, IFOAM Organics Europe is calling for a number of measures.

These include a "a clear and long-term commitment to support organic farming, providing farmers with stability, predictability and confidence to invest".

"To ensure that farmers committed to organic farming and those wishing to convert receive adequate and reliable support, member states must apply the principle of 'no backsliding' to support organic maintenance and conversion," it said.

"The real value and relative ambition of support for organic farming should not fall below the level provided during the current programming period and should increase where organic areas, national objectives or sectoral needs grow.

"Public money should reward public goods, and organic agriculture provides a proven and administratively clear way to support farmers delivering environmental and socioeconomic benefits.

IFOAM Organics Europe is also seeking a "dedicated, ambitious and coherent organic development strategy within the National and Regional Partnership Plan of each member state".

"Support for organic farming needs to be designed with a holistic approach," the organisation said.

"Beyond maintenance payments, this includes conversion payments for organic farmers but also appropriate investments opportunities, training and advisory services."

Each member state should identify the "most effective best pathways to develop and expand its organic sector, tailored to its national and regional contexts", it added.

"Fair treatment" for organic farmers is also being called for.

"Organic must be given priority and not be placed at a financial disadvantage compared to support schemes based on isolated practices, temporary commitments or insufficiently defined approaches," IFOAM Organics Europe said.