The European Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy

Organic farming responds to other European Commission targets, such as reducing the use and impacts of pesticides by 50% It also aims to dedicate 10% of agricultural area to high-diversity landscapes, which in turn make it easier to use alternatives to chemical pest control as required in organic farming35 However, some question whether a shift to organic farming holds all the answers

According to the authors of a recent review published in MDPI36, “The greatest challenge for organic food is to reduce the trade-offs between productivity and long-term sustainability

They added that common mechanisms and standards were required across the EU if the region hopes to avoid problems related to organic food development and environmental protection

Others have questioned whether promoting organic practices at the expense of conventional farming could leave some consumers priced out of the market for certain foods

Kalk said:

“Greener and healthier foods will come at a cost. Farmers deserve a fair income and low-income families are entitled to healthy, nutritious and palatable foods, too.”37

The European Green Deal is the European Commission’s plan to make the EU economy sustainable, and policy for sustainable food production is a key part of that Represented in its Farm to Fork strategy,38 it covers every part of the food network, including big changes to food production and farming practices, as well as making healthier food choices easier for consumers

According to the strategy document39, it plans:

• Cutting food waste by half, with legally binding targets by 2023 At a manufacturer level, digital tools for procurement planning and measuring food loss and waste are among the recommendations under consideration40 • A mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling system, as well as a sustainability labelling scheme that takes environmental and social impacts into account41 • Promoting sustainable food systems on a global level • Promoting healthy, plant-based foods for the health of people and the environment • €10 billion of investment in research and innovation under the

Horizon Europe programme42

Many of these proposals are still at an early stage, as the Commission targets farming initiatives first and foremost, but each could impact food companies in the coming years, from the largest multinationals to the smallest startups 43

Overlapping with the objectives set out for the

CAP reform, organic food and farming also are major considerations under the Farm to Fork strategy Under both, the Commission has set a target for 25% of EU farmland to be farmed organically by 2030 44 It has promised an action plan to help reach this target, and to help member states stimulate supply and demand for organic products

45

“It will ensure consumer trust through promotion campaigns and green public procurement,” the Commission said 46

New EU-wide organic production and labelling rules were due to come into force from January 1, 2021, but the European Commission has pushed back their implementation to January 1, 202247 The rules aim to prevent fraud, promote fair competition and maintain consumer trust48

What it means

For food manufacturers, some ingredients will need to come from certified organic sources when they did not before These are:

• Yeasts used as food or feed • Maté, sweetcorn, vine leaves, palm hearts, hop shoots, and other similar edible parts of plants and products produced therefrom • Sea salt and other salts for food and feed • Silkworm cocoons (suitable for reeling) • Natural gums and resins, beeswax, essential oils • Cork stoppers of natural cork (non-agglomerated and without any binding substances) • Cotton (un-carded or combed) and wool (un-carded or combed) • Raw hides and untreated skins • Plant-based traditional herbal preparations49

The use of natural flavours also will be restricted in organic processing. From 2022, only natural flavours from the mentioned ingredients can be used in organics. For example, only 'natural lemon flavouring' will be allowed, meaning that at least 95% of the flavouring comes from lemon.