Animal nutrition, especially additional sources of protein and vitamins that are not created using genetically modified microorganisms, are one of the areas mentioned in the European Union’s Orgnaic Action Plan. In 2019, EU organic animal production was only about 3 percent of overall animal production in Europe, but is growing fast. Organic poultry (representing about 3 percent of EU’s poultry) and pork production (about 1 percent of pork production) were growing at 10 and 6 percent annually, respectively. Laying hens, which represent about 40 percent of the organic poultry in the EU, were growing at 13 percent annually. About 5 percent of EU’s cattle and 6 percent of the sheep were organic in 2017.  Austri had the highest penetration of organic livestock, and organic dairy production is concentrated in Austria, France and Germany.

The European Union’s (EU’s) Action Plan for organic agriculture will take a three-pronged approach to boost acreage of organic farms to 25 percent of the regions farmland by 2030. The plan seeks to boost overall demand for European organic foods, encourage production, and further improve organic agriculture’s sustainability. Organic agriculture in the EU has increased 66 percent from 2009 to 2019, accounting for 8.5 percent of Europes utilized agricultural area, even as retail sales have doubled, but increases are not consistent throughout the region. Member states, therefore, will formulate their own targets to contribute to the EU-wide goal. Some of the action steps include:

• Promoting the EU logo: as of October 2020, on average 56 percent of EU consumers recognize the EU organic logo, with variations between member states.
• Allocating 27 percent (€49 million) of the overall share of agricultural promotion budget to organic products for 2021
• Increasing promotion of organic within the EU and internationally, while raising awareness of export opportunities via trade and equivalency agreements.
• Using procurement plans to increase organic food in school, government, and workplace food service offerings, perhaps through setting mandatory minimums for sustainable food in public institutions.
• Strengthening fraud prevention and traceability efforts in order to boost consumer confidence in organic products.  
• Developing a database of all EU organic operators is set for 2021, along with work on digital product passports
• Increasing incentives for production, including training, technical assistance, and using Common Agricultural Policy, such as eco-schemes and rural development initiatives
• Increasing organic aquaculture. 
• Generating market data and reports to assist producers, along with research into trading practices to limit unfair practices; and encouraging small holders to use group certification. 
• Fostering small-scale and local production and encouraging regional cooperation to reduce food miles and offer opportunity in areas away from tourist tracks. 
• Improving understanding of livestock nutrition alternatives, especially algae, that could avoid genetically modified microorganisms in organic animal vitamins and feed.
• Enhancing biodiversity through conserving seeds and other genetic materials, avoiding contentious materials, such as copper and plastics, and increasing yields of organic farms through research and farm advisory services. 
• Increasing research and innovation, with 30 percent of the research and innovation budget for  agriculture, forestry and rural areas dedicated to topics of interest to the organic sector

 The Organic Trade Association and Food Export are planning a virtual buyers mission for Healthy, Natural, and Organic Products April 13-15, 2021. Buyers from around the world will participate, and companies have been invited from South America, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and more. 

Organic Trade Association will lead a Trade Mission to the United Kingdom and European Union June 14-18, 2021 for a limited group of U.S. organic companies interested in expanding in those markets. Activities will take place in London and Amsterdam, and participants in this Trade Mission will also have the opportunity to exhibit at the Free From Expo, taking place June 15-16, 2021 in Amsterdam. If you are interested in participating, contact Alexis Carey, International Trade Manager. 

Organic Trade Association will lead a Trade Mission to the United Kingdom and European Union June 14-18, 2021 for a limited group of U.S. organic companies interested in expanding in those markets. Activities will take place in London and Amsterdam, and participants in this Trade Mission will also have the opportunity to exhibit at the Free From Expo, taking place June 15-16, 2021 in Amsterdam. If you are interested in participating, contact Alexis Carey, International Trade Manager. 

To better align with international standards, South Korea is considering changing its rules on labeling products with trace amounts of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug safety is seeking public comment on the changes.

If new legislation approved by Germany’s cabinet passes the Bundestag and Bundesrat, then farmers will have to stop using glyphosate by 2024. The draft legislation would also ban selective use of herbicides and insecticides that could harm bees.

Starting February 13, 2021, Ethiopian Airlines will serve only organic food to passengers, and will showcase organic food grown in Ethiopia.

New rules designed to foster a circular economy and eliminate single use plastics will put a ban on plastic packaging for retail sales of most fresh fruit and vegetables sold in quantities of less than 1.5 kilograms beginning January 1, 2022. In addition, stickers on produce must be compostable in home composting and made of bio-based materials.