Organic Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Ireland | More Organic Producers Would Improve Farming’s Overall Sustainability

May 14, 2018 Oliver Moore

With Ireland edging towards reopening its organic farming scheme – closed since 2015 to new entrants, and closed in 2014 for a year too too – the context of organic farming within the overall agri-food sector is worth exploring. What would it mean for Irish agriculture in general to have a bigger, more vibrant organic sector? Particular attention is paid to the public goods of biodiversity and water quality. […]

IFOAM EU | Placing Sustainability Assessment at the Core of CAP Funding

May 1, 2018 Helene Schulze

IFOAM EU and FiBL claim that their CAP plan is “a more effective and cost-efficient” as it will integrate “sustainability assessment in the design, targeting and monitoring of policies and in payment allocation.” And this more targeted, clear, performance-orientated CAP will be accepted by “both farmers and citizens.” […]

The new German Government’s Agri-Food Plans – Flattering to Deceive?

March 15, 2018 Sebastian Lakner

Sebastian Lakner examines what the new German coalition government has in store for agricultural and rural policy – is it a coherent document, or simply all things to all people? […]

Germany – 20% organic by 2030?

March 4, 2018 ARC

Germany has a new coalition government, and it has set some ambitious targets in the food and farming sphere – especially for organic farming. Oliver Moore has more. […]

Pressure mounts for opening of Organic Farming Scheme in Ireland

February 22, 2018 ARC

Our own Oliver Moore has been busy in Ireland talking and writing about about the (lack of an) Organic Farming Scheme in recent weeks. He was on the TV: with demand for #organics growing, why is demand way outstripping supply in Ireland and is it time to reopen our organic scheme #ettg @ellamcsweeney pic.twitter.com/uhFnAwo409 — Paula Williams (@paulawilliamss) February 22, 2018 You can watch the full show here (national restrictions may apply) And you can listen to him on the radio too on the Saturday morning show Countrywide. Last week he told us about the confusion the Irish Department of Agriculture has with regard to opening or not opening the Organic Farming Scheme. Schrödinger’s Cat and the State of the Irish Organic Farming Scheme While this week he covered the recent Biofach 2018 event – the world’s largest organic trade show for the Irish Farming Examiner. Below is what he wrote about what the Irish organic certification bodies – IOFGA and the Organic Trust – have to say about the lack of an Organic Farming […]

Feeding Ourselves 2018 | rural revilitisation through a cooperative approach to farming and food

February 20, 2018 Oliver Moore

An exciting happening in rural Ireland, which ARC2020 is very happy to be involved with, is on 26th and 27th May. This event focuses on – and celebrates – the may ways people can come together to make rural spaces better through food and farming. […]

#SoilMatters | Part 1: Andrea Beste on humus, soil structures & the limits of no-till

February 17, 2018 Andrea Beste

Soil Scientist Dr. Andrea Beste opens our #SoilMatters debate by telling us about humus, soil structures & the limits of no-till. […]

Schrödinger’s Cat and the State of the Irish Organic Farming Scheme

February 9, 2018 Oliver Moore

What does quantum superposition have to do with the Irish Department of Agriculture’s attitude to the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS)? Find out in this article! […]

Martin Häusling’s 10 Point Plan to Overhaul the CAP

December 14, 2017 ARC

Continuing in our series of CAP commentary from as wide a range of sources as possible, below we present the CAP position statement of MEP Martin Häusling. In it, he points to the folly of following an export and growth model for agri-food. Moreover, this model as it stands delivers little by way of environmental goods, or for animal welfare or the rural economy. He also emphasises the specific benefits of organic farming, while giving us ten points for major CAP reform. […]

Turns Out Organic Can Feed The World – Sustainably

November 28, 2017 Oliver Moore

Changes over to 40%, 60% and even 100% organic farming can feed the world. Interestingly, this is only possible if we also do two things we’re supposed to do anyway. So what are these two crucial components of a truly sustainable diet, which would need to accompany organic farming? […]

What are the Big Issues for Food, Farming & Rural Places?

October 2, 2017 ARC

There are some big and pressing topics in agri-food and for rural places. Some of these are ongoing – rural and farming depopulation, land access, agroecology, economic and ecological disparities in the Common Agricultural Policy – and others are new. So what’s new – and what’s worth covering in debate form? […]

A Different Path to the Land – Cheese Makers in Brittany

September 17, 2017 ARC

How can we get young people back onto the land, into rural areas and contributing to local culture and the local economy? There are many routes. Here’s one approach a couple who make cheese have taken in Brittany. […]

Meet Paul-Gildas Dréno : stress-free organic dairy farmer

September 11, 2017 Oliver Moore

Farms have to be viable economically to survive and indeed thrive. Nevertheless, as the years pass, it’s worth thinking about how the farming life is lived. Stress, workload, debt – how do these impact on wellbeing? […]

New EU Organic Regulation Agreed

June 29, 2017 ARC

A preliminary agreement has been reached after 20 months of trilogue negotiations between EU Commission, Council of Ministers and European Parliament for a new organic regulation. The main outstanding issues, which delayed agreement for so long have either been settled or deferred. Here’s what this means. […]

The Three Most Important Human Health Implications of Organic Food

February 3, 2017 Oliver Moore

“Cadmium exposure, pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria all result in costs to society that are not typically included in the price of the fertiliser, plant protection product, or antibiotic drug. Although difficult to estimate accurately, these costs may be substantial and represent negative production externalities.” […]