Our Global CEO, Philip Lymbery, opened the Organic Summit in Copenhagen this week with a powerful speech advocating for organic farming to become standard practice.

This significant event focused on how to achieve the EU’s target of 25% organic agriculture, by 2030. Participants from all over Europe and beyond explored a range of topics including how to:

drive forward progress whilst also ensuring global food security, within planetary boundaries;
get more farmers to grow organically on more land;
improve productivity at the farm level whilst reducing their environmental footprint;
make organic food more competitive and accessible to more people.

The event, held in Copenhagen during Denmark’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, included presentations from leading figures and advocates for the organic movement including:

Jan Plagge, Chairman, IFOAM Organics Europe.
Britta Riis, CEO, Animal Protection Denmark
Dr. Nic Lampkin, Thünen Institute and OrganicTarget4EU.

Turning vision into reality

Delivering the keynote speech, Philip emphasised the urgency of transitioning to organic, higher welfare, nature-friendly farming practices right now, for a liveable future. He referenced the EU’s Strategic Dialogue as the blueprint for turning this vision into reality.

He pointed out that organic farming means better lives for farmed animals, getting them out of factory farms and back onto the land where they can have the highest welfare. He stressed that animals should experience the joy of life and can thrive in mixed, rotational farming systems where they play a part in restoring ecosystems and soil naturally.

One health

He also stressed that One Health must be a part of food and farming policies. This principle acknowledges the interconnectedness of human, animal, and planetary health.

Along with other participants from across industry, academia, and policy, he signed the Organic Charter which outlined the 5-year pathway to 25% organic across Europe. Some of the steps to delivering on this ambition include incentives, investments, and better labelling.

Organic must be the default

Our Global CEO Philip Lymbery said:

Organic farming is not just a solution to ecological collapse – it is a moral imperative. Science shows business as usual is not an option if we want a liveable future for our children.

Strong support for those already leading the way, combined with bold incentives to encourage widespread transition to organic farming, should now top government agendas in Europe and worldwide.

There is not time to waste – we must make organic farming the default – not a luxury.

“Time is now” for organic farming transition