Applications are now being accepted for the EU Organic Awards which aim to recognise excellence and reward innovation in organic production.
The awards, which are now in their second year, are jointly organised by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions, Copa-Cogeca and IFOAM Organics Europe.
The EU Organic Awards are a follow-up to the action plan for the development of organic production, adopted by the EU Commission in March 2021.
Similar to last year, there will be eight awards within seven categories up for grabs, including:
- Best organic farmer female;
- Best organic farmer male;
- Best organic region;
- Best organic city;
- Best organic bio-district;
- Best organic food processing SME (small and medium-sized enterprise);
- Best organic food retailer;
- Best organic restaurant/food service.
The closing date for applications is May 14, 2023, with the awards ceremony taking place in Brussels on September 25, 2023.
The judges will review applications against the criteria of excellence, innovation, sustainability and possibility to replicate the project elsewhere in the EU.
EU Organic Awards
According to the latest Eurobarometer data, the public recognition of the EU organic farming logo is increasing with 61% of Europeans now indicating that they are aware of it.
The share of EU agricultural land under organic farming has also increased by more than 50% over the period 2012-2020, with an annual increase of 5.7%, according to the latest market brief published by the EU Commission.
In 2021, the commission adopted an action plan in support of the target of reaching at least 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming by 2030.
Under the Climate Action Plan 2023, the Irish government has set a target of reaching 10% of all land farmed organically by 2030.
The budget for the new Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) has been increased fivefold to €256 million.
Last month, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Pippa Hackett confirmed that over 2,000 farmers who had applied to join the scheme would be accepted.