Policy on Organic Farming in Europe - Coursework Example

Farming in Other Parts of the world (Policy on organic farming in Europe) al affiliation Since 1985, organic farming has become the center of considerable attention from policy-makers, environmentalists, consumers, as well as farmers in Europe and state institutions have become more and more concerned with supporting as well as regulating the organic sector. While re-examining the numerous goals for organic farming as well as for agricultural policy, a diverse and intricate range of policy measures have been developed as well as put into practice to support the organic sector in Europe. Nevertheless, balancing consumer/market, societal goals as well as balancing institutional and private stakeholder interests in the European organic sector presents particular tests for policy-making. This review outlines policies on organic farming in Europe. Background According to Stolez and Lampkin (2009, p.237) and Darnhofer et al. (2010, p.67) Organic farming is an approach to agriculture that lays emphasis on environmental protection, food quality, animal welfare, as well as health, social justice objectives and sustainable resource use, and which relies the market to sustain these objectives as well as balance for the internalization of externalities (e.g. environment, animal welfare). Moreover, Stolez and Lampkin (2009, p.237) suggest that even though organic farming as a concept has existed for more than eight decades, only since 1985 has it become the center of considerable attention from policy-makers, environmentalists, consumers, as well as farmers in Europe. This defining moment corresponded with the growing concerns about the detrimental environmental as well as other effects of post-war agricultural development as well as the beginning of policies to support agri-environmental initiatives, together with organic farming. This was supported by the ratification in 1993 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91, which laid a significant foundation for many of the policy as well as market initiatives that have followed, with the result that over 75% of the growth in Europe has taken place in the last ten years. In the past, in the absence of other support, organic producers relied on the consumer to back their practices as well as principles. At first the organic food market established as a means to an end, effectively affording compensation to producers for the externalization of externalities, however the market is at present often perceived as an end itself. Nowadays, consumers usually perceive organic food as safe, healthy, as well as of high quality and for this they are ready to disburse the price premiums for organic products. Nonetheless countless, if not most, are less strongly inspired by more humane concerns such as the animal welfare, environment, as well as social justice. In addition, Government support for organic farming in appreciation of its wider advantages began in the closing stages of 1980s, with nationwide programs in countries like Austria, Denmark, as well as Switzerland, as well as programmes in a few EU member states under the support of the European Union Extensification Programme (Commission Regulation (EEC) No.4115/88). Since then, organic farming growth has become to a greater extent an instrument of state agricultural policy. Following, the legal description of organic farming (Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91) in the 1990’s, it became probable to explicitly take in organic farming as an alternative under the agri-environmental as well as other measures of the rural development programmes. Moreover, government support for organic farming in Europe at present also extends into areas such as consumer promotion as well as research market development. Additionally, Stolez and Lampkin (2009, p.238) suggest that a particular test for policy-making in Europe is that the idea of organic farming is not owned by government to amend as well as adapt at will. The concept has been developed by producers as well as interested individuals since the early 20th century; furthermore maintained by consumers through specialist markets, predominantly since the 1970s. while it may at present be more and more controlled or owned by commercial as well as public institutions (research institutes, policy-makers, regulators, food industry), the need to engage stakeholders as well as respect their ownership /contribution so as to preserve the integrity of the concept is vital as well as consistent with existing perceptions of good practice in policy development as well as implementation. Against this background, this review specifically centers on organic farming policy in Europe considering the dimension of policies. Literature Review Brief overview of organic farming in Europe According to Stolez and Lampkin (2009, p.238) Organic farming in Europe made up almost 7.5 million hectares on more than 200,000 holdings, by the closing stages of 2007. The majority of this acreage, practically 5.8 million hectares is in the older European Union, whereas the new EU member states comprise roughly 1.4 million hectares. What is more, at the state level, certified organic farming makes up 7-10% of utilized agricultural land in Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Sweden and Switzerland, 4-6% in Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, the United Kingdom and Spain, 11.5% in Austria as well as 3% or less in other European countries. Reasons for State support for Policy on organic farming in Europe Henrichmeyer (1994) and Dabbert et al. (2004) argue that state involvement may be cost-effectively defensible in cases where: (a) negative consequences of earlier government involvement in markets need to be corrected as well as alleviated by new interventions. (b) Flawed competition results in significant market failure. (c) Inadequate information as well as transparency sternly obstructs market function. (d) Market failures arise because of the nature of goods involved. (e) Markets cause an income allocation within a society which is deemed improper. In fact, Stolez and Lampkin (2009, p.238) suggest that the earliest policy endorsement for organic farming within the framework of European Union regulations was anticipated to correct preceding state intervention on markets. In the circumstance of grave surpluses in Europe, policy makers saw lower productivity of organic farming as a benefit and therefore an instrument to deal with surplus production (Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 4115/88). Making certain market transparency at each and every one of phases of production, Making certain conditions of fair competition between organic producers, as well as processing and enhancing integrity of organic products to consumers are dealt with by the European Commission as motives for establishing Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91, which offered the first European legal structure of rules on organic production, inspection as well as labeling. On the other hand, market failures as a result of lack of transparency as well as information to open up new markets are dealt with by Council Regulation (EC) No.3/2008 on information provision as well as promotion measures for organic produce. The most apparent government intervention however is targeted to market failure in the context of the provision of public goods. All EU member states support conversion to and maintenance of organic farming. Here, organic farming is considered as a land management concept that contributes to sustainable development and which compatible with the need to preserve the natural environment and landscape and protect and improve natural resources. Issues in current policy on Organic Farming in Europe Stolez and Lampkin (2009, p.241) argue that Organic farming is entrenched in a social movement that arose from antagonism to mainstream farming. Instead of being embroiled in public protest against a conventional policy, it contested the conventional way of farming by indicating an alternative. Whilst attaining political significance, players in the organic farming policy field presently face a double, a rather conflicting test. At the outset, organic farming in Europe is over-reliant upon the super-ordinate agricultural policy arena and robustly controlled by the State. Secondly, policy on organic farming in Europe is seen as an alternative to conventional agricultural policy. This exemplifies the intricacy of policy making with regard to organic farming and in particular the challenge of reconciling multiple stakeholders, multiple objectives, as well as multiple policy instruments in a coherent policy framework. The compelling evidence so far emphasizes the need for a sustained review as well as development of organic farming policies. In an evolving policy environment with food security, climate change, as well as economic crisis now dominant themes, the necessity for policy on organic farming evolution as well as revision in Europe is even clearer. Future of policy on organic farming in Europe Stolez and Lampkin (2009, p.242) propose that the policies for organic farming established in Europe since the late 1980s have been developed in the background of loss of biodiversity due to agricultural intensification production surpluses, as well as over reliance on commodity support for mainstream agriculture. In Europe, the market for organic products was at first established as a way of sustaining the financial viability of farmers struggling to deliver wider objectives. As Europe advances to the next organic farming policy planning period (2014-2020), the events that have manipulated organic farming policy development over the last twenty years are very diverse. Furthermore, prevalent organic farming policy support has dwindled and in some cases eradicated the necessity for producers to depend on the market, all together the success of the organic market has created its own challenges with regard to organic values as well as principles. Commodity support has decreased and more and more of these resources being redirected to rural development as well as agri-environmental programmes. What is more, surpluses as a dilemma have been substituted by revamped unease about food security. Climate change now overshadows biodiversity as well as pollution as a major environmental concern. Concurrently, global economic recession is harshly hampering market growth as well as government capacity to sustain as well as finance programmes of this nature (p.242). Additionally, Stolze et al. (2007) drew attention to the European policy on organic farming dichotomy in: (a) the level of organic farming development as well as (b) the organic production structure. For instance in the new CEE member states environmental/ organic capacity building, consumer information, domestic market development, as well as educational programmes for farmers on environmental issues take precedence ought to be dealt withed through organic farming policies, in countries like Germany as well as Denmark the challenges of a post-productionist agriculture in addition to global trade are gaining significance. Moreover, with the ongoing growth of the organic sector in Europe as well as the growing importance of international trade with organic products, the field of organic certification has become a maze of contending labels, diverse public as well as private standards, in addition to the European law. This diversity reflects on the explicit conditions for organic operators in regions or countries however can also lead to confusion for both consumers as well as producers, creating an assortment of costs as well as escalating the risk for fraud. Furthermore, as the foundation for the present certification model was laid years ago, with organic farming being in its early stage and the level of international trade being low, effective as well as innovative certification methods need to be developed devoid of compromising on certification quality. In addition Stolez and Lampkin (2009, p.243) suggest that with the current focus on climate change, there are now robustly contending arguments as to which farming methods deliver most in terms of cutting down on green house gas emissions. Organic farming’s reduced productivity as well as dependence on livestock as an central part of the system is perceived by critics as a limitation, but by others as a way of reducing nitrous oxide emissions associated with manufacture and use of nitrogen fertilizers, appreciably cutting down fossil energy inputs, as well as affording opportunities for soil organic carbon sequesteration. Simultaneously, other environmental factors ought to be put into consideration while formulating policies on organic farming in Europe. In addition, the revamped focus on food security is also seen as a major test for organic farming with its lower yields, as a minimum in an industrialized farming perspective. Besides, increased food production is perceived as necessary, with more intensive methods as well as genetically modified crops playing a critical role. Still, there is also a need to scrutinize how what is presently produced is in fact utilized. After all, it does not make sense to produce more cereals to feed livestock in competition with human food needs. What is more, in third world countries, the likelihood of agro-ecological advances like organic farming to straightforwardly improve food security has also been acknowledged. Conclusion In light of this compelling evidence it would be fitting to conclude that: Organic farming in Europe has grown considerably in current years, encouraged by major as well as wide-ranging organic farming policy interventions. Moreover, the diverse measures put into operation reproduce multiple stakeholder interests as well as multiple organic farming policy goals and some convergence of European policy goals with those of organic movement, principally with regard to mitigating the effects of intensive production on the environment as well as supporting high food quality standards as well as animal welfare. Nonetheless, the new food security, emphasis on climate change as well as global recession presents new tests for organic farming and organic farming policy development in Europe. Reference List Dabbert, S., Häring, A.M., Zanoli, R., (2004). Organic Farming Policies and Prospects. Zed Books, London. Darnhofer, I., Lindenthal, T., Bartel-Kratochvil, R., & Zollitsch, W. (2010). Conventionalisation of organic farming practices: from structural criteria towards an assessment based on organic principles. A review. Agronomy for sustainable development, 30(1), 67-81. Henrichsmeyer, W., Witzke, H.P., (1994). Agrarpolitik Band 2: Bewertung und Willensbildung. Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart Stolze, M., & Lampkin, N. (2009). Policy for organic farming: Rationale and concepts. Food policy, 34(3), 237-244. Stolze, M., Dabbert, S., Zanoli, R., Häring, A.M., Lampkin, N., (2007). Final Report for EC Outlining Scenarios and Dimensions of ‘Future ‘European OFP. Further Development of Organic Farming Policy in Europe with Particular Emphasis on EU Enlargement (QLK5-2002-00917), FiBL, Frick. Read More