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Requiring individual Member States to implement and finance organic farming initiatives calls into question the continuity and predictability of support, which is crucial both for farms that have already invested in the agroecological transition and for those intending to begin a conversion process. Furthermore, it could accentuate disparities between EU countries, creating uneven conditions of competition in the single market and hindering the growth of a strategic sector for the future of European agriculture.
FederBio also considers the elimination of social conditionality to be particularly serious, as it would allow access to CAP funds even to those who do not comply with minimum European standards for labor, health, and safety, weakening the protection of agricultural workers and the fight against gangmastering.
"Italy is a European leader in organic farming," says Maria Grazia Mammuccini , President of FederBio. " Our country has set a particularly ambitious goal: to reach 25% of its agricultural area under organic cultivation by 2027, three years ahead of the target set by European strategies. Added to this is the launch of the Italian Organic brand, which promotes national organic production, protecting its identity and ensuring greater transparency and recognition for citizens. In light of this commitment, we cannot afford to remain silent in the face of a decision that risks marking a dangerous setback for the sector. At the meeting of the European Union Council of Agriculture Ministers, our country rightly defended social conditionality. But, along with this, given that organic farming is one of the strengths of the Italian agricultural and food system, it should also be at the forefront of ensuring the continuation of support for organic farming in the future CAP . Finally, after a summer that caused enormous production losses for farmers due to the impact of climate change, we would have expected an opposite decision for the future of the CAP, with a strong push towards agroecology through the strengthening of organic and biodynamic methods, as methods capable of guaranteeing soil fertility, biodiversity, climate resilience and the vitality of rural areas”.
The European Parliament's role will now be crucial to ensure this approach is reconsidered and does not jeopardize the strategic development of organic farming established in recent years. FederBio, in line with the proposals of IFOAM Organics Europe, calls for 30% of the CAP budget to be allocated to agri-environmental and climate actions, including support for organic farming, as key investments for the resilience of the EU agricultural sector.
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