ORC recently hosted a meeting of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements’ UK Groups at Elm Farm. IFOAM brings together representatives from the various Control Bodies and the organic industry/movement, and these six-monthly meetings help to ensure a UK voice is heard in Brussels. After 15 months of negotiation and damage limitation we are coming to the end of the review of the EU organic regulation, with the Council of Ministers having agreed common position. Defra have made heroic efforts on our behalf to lobby against some of the more impractical proposals and the current proposals are generally acceptable, although a few areas of concern remain. It is now the turn of the European Parliament to debate the proposals and the IFOAM EU group is working hard to ensure sensible positions are taken. More information from www.ifoam-eu.org
If you would be interested in participating in future UK meetings, please consider joining IFOAM and let Nic Lampkin at ORC or Chris Atkinson at the Soil Association know of your interest.
