Organic agriculture can be defined as: an integrated farming system that strives for sustainability, the enhancement of soil fertility and biological diversity whilst, with rare exceptions, prohibiting synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, and growth hormones.

How does organic farming help the environment?
A high percentage of organic farms use production practices with environmental benefits such as water management practices, no-till or minimum tillage, habitat maintenance for beneficial insects and vertebrates, and biological pest control. These ecologically protective practices contribute to enhanced ecosystem services and benefit water quality, soil health, and biodiversity.

Support for organic agriculture
Farmers and growers use plant protection products, or pesticides, to protect their crops against weeds, diseases and pests. Their use can be harmful, if, for instance, they leak into food or ground water. We promote and support safe and sustainable crop protection, from fertilizers, pesticides, livestock health care products, processing aids, and a number of other products that organic farmers and processors rely on every day.

 

Towards a biobased economy
Our aim is to promote the use of biomass for the production of fuels, chemicals, resources, electricity and heat.

Advantages of the use of biomass:

  • Biomass products are degradable and not harmful to the environment;
  • Biomass is produced sustainably, made from green resources that are otherwise discarded. It relies mostly on residual products from greenhouse horticulture, livestock farming, arable farming and the food industry;
  • The bio-based economy offers opportunities for entrepreneurs. It allows the chemicals sector to grow and become more sustainable through the use of green raw products.

 

Sustainable Livestock Farming

Animal welfare is key to organic livestock farming. Organically kept cows spend at least 120 days a year outside. Only sick animals are given antibiotics and animals are fed organic feed where possible. Organic farmers use organic manure and no artificial fertilizers or pesticides on their land.

Livestock farming should produce with respect for man, animal and the environment, all over the world. The future vision on livestock farming is supported by a collaboration of farmers, the processing industry, supermarkets and the environmental movement.

Sustainability in livestock farming is promoted through the development of innovative housing for cows, pigs and chickens for instance. New housing facilities for chickens have day and night accommodation, outdoor runs and space and facilities to demonstrate natural behavior. Other developments are the comfort class housing and the family housing designed for pigs.


Aquaculture — also known as fish or shellfish farming — refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of plants and animals in all types of water environments including ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.  Researchers and aquaculture producers are “farming” all kinds of freshwater and marine species of fish, shellfish, and plants.  Aquaculture produces food fish, sport fish, bait fish, ornamental fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, sea vegetables, and fish eggs.

Aquaculture includes the production of seafood from hatchery fish and shellfish which are grown to market size in ponds, tanks, cages, or raceways.  Stock restoration or “enhancement” is a form of aquaculture in which hatchery fish and shellfish are released into the wild to rebuild wild populations or coastal habitats such as oyster reefs.  Aquaculture also includes the production of ornamental fish for the aquarium trade, and growing plant species used in a range of food, pharmaceutical, nutritional, and biotechnology products.