Organic agriculture, organic farming
What is organic farming?
Organic farming is a modern form of land cultivation without the use of artificial fertilizers, chemical preparations, spraying and hormones. In Czech conditions it occurs particularly in upland and highland areas with a freater distribution of permanent grassland. The main criteria for introducing organic management is the application of the findings about the functioning of natural ecosystems, which is characterized by diversification of plant and animal species.
More information about organic farming in CZ and EU
This website is an initiative of the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission as part of a campaign to increase awareness of organic farming throughout the European Union. It is the focal point of the campaign. Its general content is tailored towards consumers.
Meanwhile a special toolbox section provides print, photographic and audiovisual material to be used by stakeholders including organic farmers and farming associations, processors and retailers in generating their own promotional campaigns in various EU Member States.
The website also contains:
- The latest news and listings for events concerning organic farming
- Links to other sources of information and members of the sector
Launch of OrganicXseeds database test operation
Every organic farmer has a legal obligation to use seed
and planting material cultivated according to organic
farming rules. Only in the case of organic seed being
unavailable is it possible to apply for an exception for the
use of untreated conventional seed or planting material. To
meet these requirements, Council Regulation No. 834/2007
requires every EU country to keep a database of seed and
potato planting material available in organic quality. The
Czech Republic fulfi ls this duty via ÚKZÚZ and the available
range is published on the ÚKZÚZ website.
Within the “Organic Agriculture and Processing
Organic Food” project supported by the Czech Ministry
of Agriculture, Bioinstitut worked on launching the test
operation of the international OrganicXseeds database,
run by FiBL Germany which has been successfully used in
several other European countries.
During 2009 all Czech producers and distributors of
organic seed gradually registered in the database and
they advertise their range at www.bioosiva.cz. Producers
and distributors administer their current available range
themselves and farmers can react to it. Our aim is to offer
the MoA a flexible tool for the development of the organic
seed market in CZ which, in the future, could replace the
existing records kept by ÚKZÚZ. In 2010 official approval
of the database is to be negotiated with the MoA and ÚKZÚZ.
ORGANIC FARMING IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Yearbook 2011
Yearbook 2008
The New EU Regulation for Organic Food and Farming: (EC) No 834/2007
BACKGROUND, ASSESSMENT, INTERPRETATION
Edited and published by IFOAM EU GROUP
European Strategic Research Agenda for organic food and farming
December 2009
The TP Organics Strategic Research Agenda presents a comprehensive overview of the research and development priorities for organic food and farming. It is expected that this will contribute to ensuring the sustainability and competitiveness of European organic agriculture and food systems.
- Part I provides background to Technology Platforms and the organic sector.
- Part II provides the detailed research goals under cross-cutting and thematic headings.
