Organic-PLUS workshop in Norway

Summary

In this workshop, Norwegian stakeholders in the organic sector were informed about results from a Horizon 2020 project aimed at phasing out contentious inputs from organic production. The project,"Organic-PLUS" has the title «Pathways to phase-out contentious inputs from organic agriculture in Europe». NORSØK participates in Organic-PLUS and has received funding from the Research Council of Norway for a supportive action, to inform Norwegian stakeholders about this project. The workshop was a central activity to achieve this. Workshop participants were members of the national board of organic regulations (Regelverksutvalget for økologisk produksjon, RVU), appointed by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA), stakeholders involved in distribution of organic products, advisors from the Norwegian Agricultural Extension Service (Norsk landbruksrådgivning, NLR) and researchers involved in Organic-PLUS and the supportive action. During the workshop, researchers from WP PLANT, SOIL and IMPACT in Organic-PLUS informed about the use of contentious inputs in organic growing across Europe, and what consumers think about the use of various inputs. Participants were also informed from NFSA and EGTOP about regulations and how to possibly get materials listed in regulation Annexes. On the second day, NLR-advisors informed and discussed with researchers from Organic-PLUS about conditions for growing of various organic crops in NOrway, and how a phasing out of various inputs could affect Norwegian organic agriculture. Meanwhile, RVU had a regular meeting, where a presentation was given about outputs of WP LIVESTOCK where alternatives to synthetic vitamins and drugs have been reviewed. In this e-print, all presentations from this workshop are compiled. The following list shows the total content:
DAY 1
1.What are we doing in the project Organic-PLUS? Anne-Kristin Løes, NORSØK (leader of WP SOIL)
2. Organic growing in greenhouse under Mediterranean conditions – use of inputs in citrus, tomato etc., and how to phase them out, Nikolaos Katsoulas, University of Thessaly, Greece (leader of WP PLANT)
3. Rapidly growing Annexes? EGTOPs role in assessing new and existing inputs in organic growing. What is the scientific basis for Annex changes? Frank Oudshoorn, SEGES, Denmark (active in several WPs and member of EGTOP – Expert group for technical advice on organic production appointed by the European Commission)
4. Results from the consumer studies in Organic PLUS. How can regulations better fit to the consumers’ expectations? Gunnar Vittersø, SIFO /OsloMet (active in WP IMPACT)
5. EU-regulations on organic production to be implemented in 2021 – how will this affect laws and standards in Norway? Monica W. Stubberud,Norwegian Food Safety Authority
6. Obstacles for phasing out conventional inputs in organic farming in Norway. Kjersti Berge,Norwegian Agricultural Extension Service (NLR)
DAY 2
7. Plant protection challenges in organic fruit and berry growing. Sigrid Mogan, NLR
8. The use of contentious inputs in organic growing of potatoes and vegetables. Kari Bysveen, NLR
9. Challenges related to new organic regulations in greenhouse crops. Astrid Sigaard Andersen, NLR
10. Challenges related to organic production in Mid-Norway. Elin Thorbjørnsen, NLR
11. The use of contentious inputs in organic growing of cereals. Silja Valand, NLR
12. Uønskete veterinærmidler. Status for alternative midler (Contentious veterinary drugs. Status for alternative drugs; in Norwegian). Grete Lene Serikstad, NORSØK