Organic cultivation and seeds and young plants are increasingly important in modern society. The consumption of organic products is increasing and the Netherlands has the expertise to meet demand by organically increasing the area from the ground up, through seed. In the Netherlands, approximately five percent of all vegetable seeds and young plants are destined for organic horticulture.
What you need to know
Plantum advocates a clear interpretation of European and national laws and regulations for the organic production, with as few exceptions as possible and a level playing field.
Availability in database
Organic seed is not available for all crops. This is the aim, but for some crops, it is very difficult to harvest seeds that meet the quality requirements. The availability of organic seeds per crop is tracked in a special database.
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Rules for organic production
The breeding sector has been active in organic seeds and young plants for a long time. Research has yielded a lot of knowledge. Organic seeds and young plants must meet specific requirements and rules. Companies are certified if they comply with this. In 2021, Europe established new rules for organic production and labelling.
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Benefit
The ‘regular’ part of the sector also benefits from breeding for the organic sector. Resistances found in breeding for organic cultivation contribute to the sustainability of all agriculture and horticulture. Conversely, breeding for organic cultivation can benefit from the (much larger) number of new varieties that are available in breeding for conventional cultivation.
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25% in 2030
As part of commitments under the European Green Deal, the follow-up to the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy and the Farm to Fork strategy, the European Commission has drawn up an action plan for the development of organic production towards 2030: by then, 25% of the agricultural area in the EU must be dedicated to organic farming.
In the coming years, we will proactively focus on raising awareness and keeping the sector moving around sustainability. The aim is to work together on one to two topics per year and to take specific steps in this regard. In addition to informing and sharing mutual knowledge about the themes, we also regularly monitor how the companies operate. Increasing the sense of urgency to actively integrate sustainability into the business strategy is critical.
With its work, Plantum contributes to SDG target #12