Feb 26, 2024
Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine anticipates that 1000 more farmers will join the ocuntry’s Organic Farming Scheme in 2024, adding to the 5,000 farms already participating. About 5% of Irelands land is being farmed organically.
Feb 12, 2024
Despite inflation and lower disposable income in 2022 and 2023, European Union organic sales were expected to grow slightly in 2023, reports the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service. They estimated that the 2022 EU organic market totaled $55.1 billion. Together, Germany and France represent about 60 percent of the EU organic market, followed by Italy, Sweden, Spain, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands. Latvia Lithuania, Bulgaria and Poland had the highest growth rates fo organic sales in 2023.
Feb 6, 2024
From 2024-2034, IFOAM-Organics International will pursue the following objectives (https://www.ifoam.bio/sites/default/files/2024-02/20231114_StrategyOnePa...) to unite members and allies, build partnerships, set a global agenda and drive change:
1. Empower organic worldwide by equipping members and allies with competencies, tools and community.
2. Lead the organic movement globally by positioning organic farming and food systems as a solution to global crises.
3. Building a sustainable future for IFOAM-Organics International, including resturcturing membership and governance.
https://www.ifoam.bio/sites/default/files/2024-02/20231114_StrategyOnePa...
Jan 31, 2024
Concerns about “forever chemicals” such as Bisphenol A (BPA)and per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances pushed Indonesia’s Agency for Food and Drug Control to release draft regulations for food packaging. The regulatiosn would prohibit PFAS and their precursors from all types of food packaging, and set limits on BPA, especially in children’s products.
Jan 30, 2024
During an open comment period for proposed updates to the Soil Association’s standards for organic salmon farming, a group of over 30 organizations signed an open letter requesting that salmon and trout farms be removed from organic certification. Their main complaints were that breaches of standards were rarely enforced and that the standards, especially for mortality levels, allopathic treatments, sea lice treats to wild fish, use of wild cleaner fish and wild-caught fish as feed, do not meet consumer expectations. Wildfish, the lead signatory on the letter, focuses on threats to wild fish from open-net salmon farming, pollution and removing too much water from fish habitats (over-abstraction).
Jan 11, 2024
Ravi R. Prasad, who previously worked at Oxfam, the International Press Institute, UNICEF, ActionAid International, and Transparency International, is the new Executive Director of IFOAM—Organics International. He succeeds Marco Schlüter, who served as the Interim Executive Director on a part-time basis since August 2022.
Jan 10, 2024
The Organic Trade Association received $1.05 million from the USDA Market Access Program to promote US organic products around the world in 2024. USDA statistics show a nearly 20 percent increase in exports over the last five years. Canada and Mexico remain the primary export destinations for U.S. organic products by a wide margin, though Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates are also strong export markets. Within the last couple of years, China and Vietnam have also edged into the top 10 export destinations for the first time. OTA’s international promotion activities are open to members and non-members, and include trade shows, social media campaigns, retail promotions, consumer education, and more.
Dec 15, 2023
Through its Measures for Achievement of Decarbonization and Resilience law, Japan is aiming for 25% of farmland to be organic by 2050. The Organic Standard reports that 0.6% of Japan’s farmland is managed organically, including certified and non-certified organic farms. The law, enacted in 2021, supports participatory guarantee systems as well as third party certification. Other targets include 50% reduction in risk-weighted use of chemical pesticide s, and 30% reduction in chemical fertilizer use.
Dec 12, 2023
Focusing on sustainably produced and organic food, the European Union, as in 2023, will use €185.9 million (approximately $203.3 million) for promoting EU agri-food products in 2024. About €85.1 million is dedicated to promotion outside the EU, with an emphasis on China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and North America. Overall, €62 million will be earmarked for sustainably produced agrifood products, including €42 million for organic products. Goals of organic promotion include raising awareness of the EU organic logo and increasing use of organic products in Europe.
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