On 14 September, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) published the knowledge agenda for organic agriculture. This contains the implementation of the various actions on knowledge and innovation by the Ministry of LNV and involved parties. A nice step in the growth of organic production and consumption.

LNV has a hefty ambition to grow to 15% organic farming area in the Netherlands by 2030. One of the first actions is to draw up this knowledge agenda, a central document that provides insight into the current knowledge gaps for the ambition and actions in the action plan. The knowledge agenda will be used to regularly determine the status of the knowledge questions and take additional action where necessary. In addition, LNV will organise an annual meeting to reassess the knowledge agenda.

Conversion from conventional to organic

A farmer's conversion from conventional to organic farming is currently mainly an individual choice. To accelerate the transition to organic farming, a transition approach is needed. Switching from conventional to organic production is a big step for farmers and market gardeners. It requires a different way of working and thinking within the organic system. The official conversion period takes six months to three years. This is a period when farmers do have the costs of organic farmers, because they have to meet the requirements of the regulation, but not yet the joys (no certificate and associated benefits such as a premium price for produce). After this official period and meeting the requirements, there is a certificate, but the farmer will not yet have (fully) mastered organic farming. How quickly and successfully the conversion to organic is depends, among other things, on skill, farm size, sector, land and environment. In general, the period to get the system stable usually takes about 7 years, only then is the whole system of soil and farm adapted to the organic way of working. Important principles for organic livestock farming focus on animal welfare, animal integrity and (animal) health, where robust animals are kept in an open system with low inputs and aimed at closing cycles. In the organic regulation, there are strict standards for outdoor exercise, sufficient area per animal and the use of veterinary medicines.

Knowledge programme Earnings model

Both in conversion and for further sustainability of the current organic sector, the business and socio-economic perspective is important. There is a need to understand earning models. This need also plays a role in other themes on making agriculture more sustainable, nature-inclusive agriculture, circular agriculture and regenerative agriculture. To this end, there is knowledge development on earning models from the Earning Model knowledge programme. This knowledge can be used to increase the effectiveness of actions in the action plan on conversion, for example.

In the coming years, the market and (international) trade in organic products will change. Given the commitment of all EU member states to increase their own acreage organic, it is expected that this may also have an impact on trade.

There is a need for more knowledge and understanding of organic food

Interviews with stakeholders suggest that buyers from sales channels such as supermarkets, food specialty shops, restaurants, bars and cafes, hotels, wholesalers, caterers at companies and institutions, food industry and other food services are often relatively unfamiliar with organic products and their added value. These chain parties and sales channels can play an important role in the growth of organic consumption. There is a great diversity of sales channels and the opportunities, challenges and barriers may differ for each sales channel and chain party. There is a need for knowledge and insight.

It is important that consumers know the difference between organic and non-organic products and can distinguish between them. Currently, many of them do not know the added value of products bearing the organic label. The market share of consumer spending on organic food in supermarkets, specialty sustainable food shops and food service has been around 3% for years. Boosting consumption and sales is a key focus of the action plan.

The health benefits of organic food

There are many questions about the health benefits of consuming organic products because of the requirements under the regulation. These include the absence of artificial fertilisers and chemical-synthetic pesticides, but also, for example, the influence of (micro)nutrients in organic products. Previous studies have not provided a unanimous conclusion on these questions. Therefore, commissioned by LNV, a literature study was carried out to map the scientific state of affairs regarding health and a follow-up study on the health effects of organic food.

The growth of the organic sector requires a greater focus on organic production and consumption in education at all levels, because learned young is done old. Toddlers and young people are the consumers, chain managers and entrepreneurs of the future. Therefore, LNV is looking at ways to better incorporate knowledge about organic production and consumption in education.

The knowledge agenda is a central document for the commitment to knowledge and innovation from the action plan and clarifies the current knowledge questions for the growth of biological con[1]sumption and production. This overview provides clarity on the required commitment to knowledge development, knowledge sharing, transfer of knowledge into practice and education and stimulation of innovation.

See: LNV Knowledge agenda Organic production and consumption (overheid.nl)