The EU could set a target of one-quarter of agricultural land in Europe to be farmed organically by 2030, with an additional goal of reducing the use of chemical pesticides by 50%.

The plan to increase the amount of organic farming in Europe is understood to be included in the latest draft of the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, scheduled to be published later [in May 2020].

The proposal to reduce the use of pesticides and nitrogen, while increasing the use of integrated pest management methods, has been included in a draft of a Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy, which will sit alongside the biodiversity strategy.

According to Brussels insiders, the latest draft text of the plans suggests that transformative change is “urgently required” to reverse the trend of biodiversity losses.

It says organic farming is the “best-known and best-regulated agro-ecological practice”, but acknowledges there would also be a need for measures to increase demand for organic produce through a commission action plan.

Read the original post