The Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production adopted in March 2021 takes the approach that, in order to stimulate organic production, consumer demand for organic products should grow. This requires, amongst other things, increased public awareness of the characteristics and benefits of organic production.
For this purpose, the Action Plan includes the launch of annual awards recognising excellence in the organic value chain.
The EU organic awards comprise 8 awards across 7 different categories. They acknowledge different actors along the organic value chain that have developed an excellent, innovative, sustainable and inspiring project producing real added value for organic production and consumption. These awards are non-financial.
The awards ceremony was organised on the EU Organic day on 23 September 2022. The winners were invited to an event in Brussels to collect their awards. This event involved representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe. Providing examples of best practices, the winners were able to explain their project to a broader public.
Representatives of a pan-European collaboration handed out the first EU Organic Awards, hosted by the European Commission. Eight winners within seven categories received their awards:
- Best organic farmer (female): Nazaret Mateos Álvarez (Entresetas) – Paredes de Nava, Palencia, Spain
- Best organic farmer (male): David Pejic (Zrno eko imanje) – Dubrava, Zagreb County, Croatia
- Best organic region: Occitanie, France
- Best organic city: Gemeinde Seeham am Obertrumer See – Salzburg, Austria
- Best organic bio-district: Associazione Bio-Distretto Cilento – Campania, Italy
- Best organic SME: Goodvenience.bio GmbH – Magdala, Thuringia, Germany
- Best organic food retailer: La ferme à l’arbre de Liège – Lantin, Liège, Belgium
- Best organic restaurant: Lilla Bjers HB – Visby, Gotland Island, Sweden
The details about the farmers, the award motivation and videos about the winners are available at this LINK https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/organic-farming/organic-action-plan/eu-organic-awards_en, where it is also possible to find the details to apply. It is possible also to watch the full recording of the event at this LINK https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/eu-organic-day-eu-organic-awards-ceremony-2022-09-23
Source: European Commission