COLDIRETTI AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

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1 COLDIRETTI AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURE Annalisa Saccardo Coldiretti - Environment and Territory Area According to Coldiretti, organic agriculture is, first of all, one of the possible production process in agriculture that in some areas can assure a good income to farms offering at the same time, excellent quality food to consumers. Organic agriculture is not an alternative to conventional agriculture, but it s a way to answer to a different demand from consumers. Organic food has an added value obtained following a strict production process that consist, not only, in the elimination of using chemical substances, but in a different way to manage territory and its resources, inside the farm. Organic agriculture is an important instrument to set off agricultural products that have a strong link with territory in force of using local animal races and cultivars. Coldiretti is against the possibility to introduce threshold of GMOs contamination, because it can damage the image of organic food among consumers that buy these kind of products to eat something that is obtained in the respect of nature without forcing the production system with means which are not natural. For improving the development of organic agriculture is important: a) to use well Rural Development Plans resources, sustaining not only production, but commercialization and transformation structures dedicated to organic products, too. It s important to give aids only to farmers that commercialize their production, otherwise when the aids decrease, many farms go out from organic agriculture. In short, it s necessary to sustain only farmers which produce for the market and who aren t interested to have only the aids; b) to sustain better the development of organic animal farms because, generally, all the attention is for vegetable production. On the contrary, especially in the rural areas organic livestock can represent a good way to assure a better income for local farms. In this case it s important to set off local rustic races; c) to sustain research in organic agriculture especially for animal farms, because it's necessary to improve the feeds system finding alternatives to corn and soy that can be contaminated by GMOs; d) to increase information campaigns among consumers about organic food. Consumers don't know well yet, these kind of products and make confusion or they don't trust they are really organic, because they aren t well informed about certification system; e) to spread the organic refectories and restaurants. This is a good way to commercialize local organic products; f) to control importation of organic products from Third countries because the certification system in these countries are not often really equivalent to European standards, even if the new European law gives now more guarantees; g) to set off organic products which are specific of a certain country with national marks; CONFEDERAZIONE NAZIONALE COLDIRETTI AREA AMBIENTE E TERRITORIO

2 h) to improve the commercialization of organic products by farmer' markets where there's a direct relation between farmer and consumer. In this way, it's possible to cut the costs of distribution and to assure a better price on the market; i) to invest more in farmers training. About organic wine, Coldiretti thinks that the new European regulation must provide that the final aim is to obtain organic wine without using sulphurous anhydride. For helping farmers, it could provide a period of few years during which is possible to use this substance in less quantities than conventional wine, making a difference among red, white wine and sparkling wines. Organic wine must be produced only where there are the environmental and agronomic conditions that allow to farmers to produce organic wines without using sulphurous anhydride. Organic wine must be really different from conventional wine, otherwise it risk to be a deception for consumers. In Italy, many farmers already produce organic wine, without using this substance, because they pay attention to the good agronomic practices and select the right local cultivars. Italian organic agriculture 1 The market value: 2 billion of Euros Cultivated surface: 1 million and hectares organic exploitations of which are organic farms 1 million of meals served in organic refectories 837 organic refectories agriturisms organic farmers sell directly their products 225 local organic markets 132 Internet sites selling organic products 56 importers 1 Coldiretti s processing from Biobank data 2

3 Coldiretti General information Coldiretti is the largest agricultural Organization in Italy and in Europe, with more than associate enterprises, representing 69% of Italian Chamber of Commerce farmer members. Coldiretti is a social force representing agricultural farms, deeply rooted in the land with 19 regional federations, 96 provincial and inter-provincial federations, over 724 local offices and approximately peripheral offices that are the reference point for the absolute majority of the Italian agricultural enterprises. The mission of Coldiretti is to enhance the value of the agriculture as an economic, social and environmental resource in order to guarantee development and income opportunities for the agricultural enterprises, in a framework of full integration of the agriculture with the economic and social interests of the country, as, declared by the President Sergio Marini, who emphasized that this is a strong engagement for the competitiveness of Made in Italy, which has a strength in the agro industrial sector, and for the food and environmental safety of consumers, even in the face of recent climatic and sanitary emergencies. In 2000, Coldiretti has founded ANAGRIBIOS, the National Association of Organic Agriculture. In fact, Coldiretti associates about Main activities and international dimension Coldiretti s main areas of activities are: Take part in every political and economical debates with government, local entities and with the European Union institutions; Promote local development, though the valorisation of natural resources to preserve the environment and the landscape and to improve the quality of life the rural areas; Provide instruments and services to promote the development of an enterprise frame in the agricultural sector, to make it competitive on the market and able to increase the quality and the authenticity of products and to protect the environment; Promote a dialogue between producers and consumers and between cities and the countryside, thought initiatives which involve schools, training department and the cultural sector; Preserve the quality of the products improving the initiatives which ensure freedom of choice for consumers ( labelling, transparency, origin, monitor food advertising); Promote typical products and Made in Italy, as economic and cultural resources. International dimension At international and European level Coldiretti takes part in: COPA (Committee of Professional Agricultural Organization European Union) COGECA (General Confederation of Agricultural Co-operatives in the European Union) 3

4 CEJA (European Council of young farmers) Comitè de Liaison de l agrumiculture Mediterraneènne F.I.P.A (International Federation of Agricultural Producers) International Association «Ruralite-Environnement-Developpement (R.E.D) Moreover, at the European level, Coldiretti express its policy promoting economic and political debate with the European institutions, through the activity of its representative office in Brussels. Since 2001 Coldiretti promotes and organises the annual Agricultural and Food International Forum in Cernobbio with the aim of promoting a deep debate, with the participation of experts, researchers and representatives of the agricultural and governmental sector, on agricultural and economical policies, environmental issue, quality and safety of agricultural products and in their connection with the general economic dimension at national, European and international level. The main objective of the forum international dimension is to reflect and promote the debate on the aforementioned aspect between the stockholders and to raise awareness amongst consumers. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE REGIONAL FEDERATIONS 19 PROVINCIAL FEDERATIONS 88 INTERPROVINCIAL FEDERATIONS 9 AREA OFFICES 713 TERRITORIAL OFFICES The world of Coldiretti IMPRESA VERDE Enterprises COLDIRETTI Agricultural Organization CAMPAGNA AMICA Foundation CUSTOMERS MEMBERS SOCIETY 4

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