Representatives of 12 organizations at a one-day forum hosted by the German Association of Organic Farmers, Food Processors and Traders (BÖLW) on the impact of revised EU regulations on organic farming unanimously panned the proposed rewrite. Speakers cited numerous potential problems, including over simplification, an emphasis on testing and analysis, lack of transparency in the details of the proposals which could disrupt trade, increasing the risks of conversion, increasing bureaucracy in the control systems, unnecessary changes, taking the wrong approach to solve rule implementation problems, and disregarding input from the organic community about the areas that need to be addressed. Participating organizations were from the government, business, farm, certification and consumer sectors, primarily in Germany.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
