FOREWORD

DEAR READER

We are proud to present the first issue of Bejo Organic magazine. Our team of specialists has worked hard to create an attractive, varied magazine full of interesting articles showing you the “playing field” in organic agriculture and horticulture in the Netherlands and beyond.

We’ve got articles on cultivation, market trends, trade, laws and regulations, breeding, seed quality and more.

Why publish a magazine devoted to organic crops? Because at Bejo we have been working hard on developing our organic range for a very long time, and because, for us and for you as a grower, organic seeds are an important part of making cultivation more sustainable.

In May 2020 the European Commission published its Farm to Fork Strategy, which outlines the future of Europe’s food system. The Commission wants Europe to set the standard for sustainable food around the world. One of its aims is to have at least 25% of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030. It’s an ambitious goal, and the question is whether it’s attainable. In any case, Bejo will continue to work to make agriculture and horticulture more sustainable by bringing varieties to market that will be useful for conventional and organic farmers alike. High yields and high pathogen resistance are key. We have got an article on the subject by Crop Research Manager Timo Petter. “Breeding supports the move toward sustainability,” he writes. “If you have genetics on your side, you don’t need chemistry.”

This year onion and shallot production in parts of the Netherlands was affected by severe pressure from diseases including downy mildew, stemphylium and leaf spot. It’s well known that Bejo conducts extensive research to develop varieties with high pathogen resistance. Certain Bejo/DGS onion varieties, including Hylander and Redlander, have a high resistance to downy mildew, but they are not entirely immune under extreme weather conditions. In this magazine, our Phytopathology Research Manager, Theo van der Horst, explains what exactly HR and IR mean.

Last season was, once again, a season of extremes. We had a cool spring and heavy rainfall in large parts of the Netherlands and neighbouring countries. Serious flooding here in The Netherlands and in Germany and in Belgium were a result of this. Some say it was the result of climate change. However you look at it, it presented serious challenges for numerous growers in certain areas.

It also showed us how vulnerable we are, as human beings and as a society, and that we share a duty to treat our planet with care and respect. By 2050, around 10 billion people will be living on earth. Improving food sustainability and entering into climate agreements to limit global warming are moving higher up world leaders’ agendas. From the beginning, part of Bejo’s vision has been to invest for the long term and to develop our organic division. We are somewhat unusual in this regard, but we find it highly instructive. We are integrating more and more of the techniques we use in producing organic seed into our production of conventional seed and vice versa. So at Bejo, organic and conventional complement each other, and we do our part when it comes to treating nature in a responsible manner.

Bejo’s slogan is “Exploring nature never stops.” And we will continue our explorations in cooperation with you by engaging in conversations and listening to your experiences and wishes. We will keep constantly evolving and adding value to our varieties so we can continue to serve you better.

I hope you enjoy this magazine, and most of all, I wish you a healthy and sustainable future for your business.

Best regards,

“We’ll keep constantly evolving and adding value to our varieties so we can continue to serve you better.”

Peter Buter

Met vriendelijke groet,

Peter Buter Sales Manager, Benelux and Scandinavia