Description
On 19 July, the names of the finalists for the EU Organic Production Awards 2024 were announced. The top three projects were selected for each of the eight categories, representing 24 finalists from 11 EU countries. The winners of the eight awards will be revealed at an official ceremony in Brussels on 23 September, as part of a series of events and activities celebrating the annual European Day of Organic Production.
The EU organic production awards were launched in 2022 as a commitment under the Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production. The aim of the awards is to recognise excellence along the entire organic value chain, from farmers and restaurants to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and biodistricts. It also improves the overall visibility of the organic value chain and develops awareness of the organic logo. This year marks the third edition of the Awards, with seven categories and eight individual awards. The awards aim to reward outstanding, innovative, sustainable and inspiring projects that add real value to organic production and consumption. Winners have the opportunity to present their projects to a wider audience, showcasing best practices.
The awards are jointly organised by the Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions, COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe. The jury of the awards is composed of representatives of these organisations as well as representatives of the European Parliament and the EU Council. The jury selects the winners in each category by evaluating their projects according to horizontal award criteria.
This year's finalists in each category are:
Best organic farmer (female)
- Blagovesta Vasilieva, The wild farm (ДИВАТА ЕРМА), Gorno Pole, Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria
- Caroline Devillers, Bel Go Bio, Hollogne-sur-Geer, Liège province, Belgium
- Reinhild Frech-Emmelmann, Reinsaat GmbH, St. Leonhard am Hornerwald, Lower Austria, Austria
Best organic farmer (male)
- Gianpaolo Mancini, Il sentiero del Riccio, Sicignano degli Alburni, Salerno, Italy
- Tommi Hasu, LuomuMattinen, Oravala, Kouvola, Finland
- Benny Schöpf, Kartoffelkombinat, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Best organic region
- Comunidade Intermunicipal do Alto Tâmega e Barroso, Chaves, Portugal
- Comunidad autónoma de Castilla - La Mancha, Spain
- Southern Savo, Finland
Best organic city
- BioStadt Bremen, Germany
- Cascais, Lisbon district, Portugal
- Las Rozas, Community of Madrid, Spain
Best organic 'biodistrict
- Distretto del Cibo Monregalese - Cebano, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
- Bioregião de S. Pedro do Sul, Viseu District, Beira Alta, Portugal
- Sörmland Biodistrict, Sörmland, Sweden
Best Organic Food Processing SME (Small and Medium Enterprises)
- Biologon GmbH, Hochfilzen, Tyrol, Austria
- Gino Girolomoni Cooperativa Agricola, Isola del Piano, Montebello, Marche, Italy
- Bio veggie food GmbH/SOTO organic specialities, Bad Endorf, Bavaria, Germany
Best organic food retailer
- BIOGAST GmbH, Zwettl, Lower Austria, Austria
- Coolanowle Organic Meats, Ballickmoyler, County Laois, Ireland
- SAiFRESC, Catarroja, Valencian Community, Spain
Best organic restaurant/food service
- B2 Bio pur GmbH, Binsdorf, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Biohotel St. Daniel, Štanjel, Primórska region, Slovenia
- Kalf & Hansen, Stockholm, Sweden
Organic farming, aquaculture and production help reduce chemical fertilisers, pesticides and antimicrobials, with a positive impact on climate, the environment, biodiversity, animal welfare and fair incomes for farmers. The area under organic cultivation in the EU has grown to 17 million hectares, or 10.5% of the total in 2022. Increased public awareness of organic products is crucial to stimulate consumer demand and to achieve the EU Green Deal target of 25% of EU farmland to organic farming by 2030 and a significant increase in organic aquaculture. In the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), all 28 CAP strategic plans include funding for organic farming
Source: European Commission - DG Agriculture and Rural Development
Image owner: European Commission