Farmers urge EU not to jeopardise the organic sector

The European Union has been urged to safeguard the organic sector and not introduce measures that could threaten its development.

Copa-Cogeca, the umbrella body for European farmers and co-ops; the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT); and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) issued the appeal in a joint letter to EU farm ministers.

The groups — representing 23m farmers and 2.6m workers — specifically asked the ministers to harmonise procedures for pesticide contamination.