More research needed for organic farming, says Environment Commissioner
Summing up the Commission's views on policies for organic farming in the European Union (EU), Ritt Bjerregaard, European Commissioner for the environment, recently emphasised the importance of strengthening research efforts, education and advice related to organic farming. She made these comments on organic farming at a recent conference in Vienna, which was devoted to the topic of organic farming in the EU. Organic farming, said Mrs Bjerregaard, is a vital component of a strategy to attain sustainable development in Europe. 'Organic farming', she continued, 'is no longer an irrational pass-time...but a real alternative that makes sense in economic and environmental terms.' She called for the intensification of efforts to develop a coordinated strategy for the promotion of the sustainable development of organic agriculture. To achieve this however, better funding for organic farming will be necessary, she said. The removal of obstacles to the organic market will also be required to make it more stable, she added, while the agricultural priorities of different regions around Europe must be considered in any debate on research and policies for organic farming.