This is how Europe will stimulate organic farming

The European Commission has set itself a goal for the coming years: more organic farming in the European Union. To achieve that goal, it is allocating €49 million this year alone to promote organic food. More money must also be made available to farmers who want to switch and the supply of organic products must increase in, among other things, canteens and government buildings.

In the European Commission's Farm-to-Fork strategy, presented by Frans Timmermans last year, one of the main targets is that by 2030 at least 25% of agricultural land in the European Union must be organic. Today, that percentage stands at 8,5%, although the Netherlands is still well below it (at 3,7%). "We urgently need to restore balance in our relationship with nature. This affects not only farmers, but everyone in the food chain," says Timmermans.

According to research, organic farming land has about 30% more biodiversity. To give agricultural entrepreneurs a helping hand when it comes to conversion, the European Commission is making a lot of money available. Between 2023 and 2027, €38 billion to €58 billion will be reserved for ecological programs that, among other things, aim to stimulate organic farming. The exact amount is still subject to negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy.

VAT reduction
To achieve that goal, the European Commission is allocating €49 million this year to promote organic food. That's not the only tactic. For many consumers, the higher price of organic food is a thorny issue. The Commission therefore proposes that countries can, for example, reduce VAT on these products. In addition, companies could reward their employees with 'bio-cheques' and the government could, for example, give out a voucher to residents with a low income.  

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality informed De Volkskrant that the plan is somewhat ambitious. According to the spokesperson, the Netherlands is trying to incorporate the objective of much more organic agriculture in the current transition to circular agriculture.

Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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