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Published by Dario Dongo on 21 July 2021

Organic farming, a hope for the future

Organic and biodynamic agriculture they are a real hope for the future of our planet, as well as our country. The main way to deal with environmental degradation, the chemical pollution of soil, water and air which is mainly responsible for industrial agriculture.

It proves it the extraordinary diffusion of the agro-biological practice that has taken place in recent years. This is confirmed by scientific research, studies and experiments carried out in Italy as well as internationally.
Organic farmers are the first fundamental custodians of those principles and practices essential to regenerate the organic fertility of the soils, to protect the great natural heritage such as water and plant and animal biodiversity, to provide healthy food to cities and our community.

The aims of Big Ag

The instrumental controversies and pretexts of these weeks have the double objective on the one hand of concealing and manipulating the precious work of so many farmers and citizens who have defended and supported the idea of organic farming with their work and their consumption, and on the other hand to bring back the agriculture in the hands of industry and synthetic chemistry.

The organic law approved by the Senate and now in the Chamber of Deputies is a fact of great importance, however some important doubts remain open.
The reasons for some changes to the text approved four years ago appear incomprehensible, changes that appear to contradict the richness and plurality of experiences of those who have chosen the principles and practices of "organic".

We point out two issues on which we believe just a supplement of reflection: the rules of representation and the theme of organic seeds.

Unfair rules for representation

The draft law in fact, it restricts the role of agro-organic producers' organizations, which are many and diverse and inclusive in the territories as well as really active in the production and distribution of products.

The technical table envisaged by article 14 limits agricultural trade union participation to the 4 most representative organizations at national level. The same organizations are the only ones - defines the bill - that can interact in the promotion of supply chain agreements, as per article 16.

Short supply chain, the true face of organic

In the same direction the provisions on biological Interprofessional Organizations (Article 14), which provide for their very important regulatory and representation functions, the possibility that only one is recognized at national level and with a share of the economic activities carried out equal to only 30 per cent of the total (while in other laws, more wisely, the share is 75% precisely to give more representation to the whole world of production).

In this respect the bill opens up a serious problem for the participation, democracy and representation of the many economic stakeholders who live, support and produce organic.

The setting of the draft law considers the representativeness of the organic world in terms of a long and composite supply chain, when instead organic, especially of the many small and medium producers, is expressed in terms of territories and short and direct relationships. Unfortunately, nowhere in the law do we find any reference to the short chain and nothing is foreseen to favor its development, with appropriate rules.

THE VIDEO. The reasons of farmers and civil society in the video of the international organization #LaViaCampesina

Organic seeds, no to limitations

On the topic of organic seeds the bill introduces strong elements of confusion, which risk distorting the rules established by reg. EU 848/2018 which made free the production and marketing of "biological heterogeneous plant reproductive material", which also includes local ecotypes made up of unselected populations.

Local organic seeds they represent the vital germ of organic agriculture and Italian agricultural biodiversity, in a country like ours characterized by myriads of typicality. It is not acceptable that there are limitations and confusions in this regard with respect to the freedom of production and marketing provided for by European standards.

Our position

With this position of ours we do not intend, as is obvious, to offer any pretext to all those who have always boycotted a law that offers systematicity and support to organic farming, but at the same time we cannot remain silent on the problems and risks present in the current text.

Let's consider therefore it is important to have a discussion, while not compromising the current bill, in which we can identify the times and methods to address those points that in our opinion limit or even compress a world in strong and radical growth that is that of new and young farmers. For which organic is not an end but an instrument of repopulation and reintroduction of new artisanal and agricultural trades that have the earth and its conservation at the center, especially in the inland areas of our country.

The signatories

Agostino Maurizio (Humus Network)
Apicella Mario (Monte Amiata Biodistrict)
Basile Francesco (Professor of Industrial Chemistry, University of Bologna) Cavazzoni Lucio (Good Land)
Ceccarelli Salvatore (Geneticist)
Compagnoni Antonio (Italian Representative of the IFOAM European Council) Paolo Di Francesco (La Buona Terra Association)
Dongo Dario (Égalité)
Ferraris Emanuela (Freelance)
Grando Stefania (Geneticist)
Marco Pollastri (Bologna Antarctica Center)
Mele Giuseppe (No Scorie Int. Movement)
Merchant Gaetano (ABC Association)
Michieletto Luca (Freelancer)
Minisci Maria Grazia (OP Carpe Naturam)
Michele Monetta (UP BIO)
Paltrinieri Roberta (Professor of Sociology at the University of Bologna) Paparella Nino (Profit, Good and Bio Network)
Poggioli Graziano (Santa Rita Bio)
Santovito Savino (Apulia Nature)
Sebastianelli Bruno (Coop. The Earth and the Sky)
Zecchinato Franco (Coop. El Tamiso)
Maurizio Mazzariol (Other organic agriculture)
Marco Bignardi (Organic Tuscany)
Furio Venarucci (Italian Confederation of Free Farmers).