The third version of the Foodlog ‘ Agriculture without chemicals – How ? ’ congress was held at Koppert Biological Systems headquarters on 27 February . This twelvemonth the congress focused on Plant Health , to coincide with the United Nations ' International Year of Plant Health . The initial debate on the regulatory load for biocontrol intersection broaden to include topic like sustainability , the cost of produce nutrient , the role of banks and retail .
In his opening move address , Koppert ’s Corporate Marketing Director , Peter Maes , stated : ‘ We desperately need more dialogue on all degree , better - inform citizens when it follow to solid food safety , and a responsible food chemical chain with a minimum impact on the surround and society . We need more activism to repel the change . Who is in ? ’ he investigate .
The congress was attended by about 170 illustration from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture , Nature and Food Quality , local authorities , academics , environmental NGOs , companies in food yield and retail , and farmers – both schematic and sustainable – who took part in synergistic debates on three musical theme :
‘ How do we limit the manipulation of chemic factor in horticulture and agriculture ? ’ , ‘ Renewing authorisation procedures of sustainable solvent , and ‘ How do you connect retail and other trading spouse , farmers and governing in fiat to fund novel innovation ’ .
‘ Although Koppert and parties like LTO , Agrifirm , WUR , Artemis and others initiated a review of the effectual place and came with a set of suggestion for regulative improvements in 2019 , a genuine change has not ( yet ) been achieved ’ , stated Evert Hamblok , Koppert ’s Manager Regulatory Affairs . ‘ It would be better to set goals for increase enjoyment of biologicals and environmentally friendly products rather than coif EU goals for the reduction of chemic pesticides by 2030 . An improved and faster commendation organisation for biologicals is inevitable . ’
Member of the European Parliament for the ‘ green ’ , Bas Eickhout , stressed that more attention was needed for IPM before opening up regulations . He quote several reports of the European Court of Auditors that concluded that policy incentives to reduce the amount of pesticides had failed . ‘ It is essential to integrate the Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP ) in the Green Deal . Agriculture can have a great impact in making Europe more sustainable , ’ said Eickhout . Although Eickhout is not in favour of adjusting regulations , he was positive about initiating a Green Team that could judge harvest protective covering production that are based on micro - organisms .
During the keynote panel Marc Jansen ( CBL ) , Roelof Bisschop ( SGP ) , Jürgen Köhl ( WUR ) and Nicolette Klijnhout - Klijn ( Skal Biocontrole ) discourse how supermarkets could give to more sustainable agriculture . ‘ It is of groovy grandness to word a long term scheme since Fannie Farmer do not recognize where they tolerate . A change to sustainable agriculture will take at least 1 generation , ’ say Roelof Bisschop .
For more info : Koppert Biological Systems[email protected]www.koppert.com
