News


EISA Workshop

“Building public trust and understanding of farming and food – what more needs to be done?

(European dimension of the `Charta for Agriculture and Consumers` of the German Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection)” in Berlin on 26 January 2012.

In this workshop, EISA members presented and discussed various communication activities – all designed to inform the public about modern, sustainable agriculture in Europe.

press information

How to communicate agriculture to the public

EISA-Workshop during International Green Week in Berlin, Germany

Berlin, 27 January 2012:

Parlamentary Secretary of State, Peter Bleser, of the German Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer protection explains the German “Charta for Agriculture and Consumers”
The workshop “Building public trust and understanding of farming and food – what more needs to be done?” took place on the EventFarm (ErlebnisBauernhof, fair hall 3.2) of International Green Week in Berlin on 26 January. Following an invitation by EISA, the European Initiative for Sustainable Development in Agriculture, representatives of agricultural organisations from Germany, England, France, Luxembourg, Austria and Sweden presented and discussed how successful agricultural PR can be set up. The Parliamentary Secretary of State of the German Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Peter Bleser, and Pekka Pesonen, Secretary General of COPA-COGECA, the united voice of European farmers and their cooperatives, participated in the event.

Vice-chairman Heinrich Kemper of EISA summarized the central statements of the discussion: “Agriculture must be careful not to present itself in the light of glorified romanticism. Otherwise, the gap will grow between reality and the images in the heads of consumers. Our business must not be ashamed to be modern and innovative. The opposite is true, as being modern and innovative must be communicated again and again, openly and with pride“.


Pekka Pesonen, secretary general of COPA-COGECA, highlights why agricultural communication with the public is so important.
Heinrich Kemper identified the following conclusions from the workshop:
  • Communication of the agricultural business can only be successful when as many partners as possible act together. Secondly, platforms and joint projects such as the ErlebnisBauernhof of International Green Week or visits of the “Erlebnis: Bauernhof mobile“ in bigger cities must be established and must be used to communicate with factual information as well as emotions. Just passing on drydata and unemotional facts will not be enough to reach consumers successfully.
  • On the one hand, farmers have to try to keep up with technological innovations such as precision farming for example, but on the other hand they must try to make these developments and innovations transparent and plausible to consumers.
Finally, Kemper pointed out the importance of Integrated Farming as a holistic guideline: “If we want to feed more and more humans on this planet with the restricted resources which we have, we will need an intelligent agriculture. We will need to „set out for Green Growth“ – the motto of this year’s ErlebnisBauernhof – where this workshop is taking place, and we will definitely need progress through sustainable innovation!“


Tony Worth, chairman of EISA, explains the EISA Integrated Farming Framework as guideline for intelligent agriculture
The ErlebnisBauernhof in fair hall 3.2 of International Green Week is a joint project of Deutscher Bauernverband (DBV – German Farmers Union), the association information.medien.agrar (i.m.a – information, media, agriculture) and FNL (Fördergemeinschaft Nachhaltige Landwirtschaft – Association for the Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture), with FNL acting as responsible coordinator of the ErlebnisBauernhof. More than 50 other partners are involved as well. The Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank supports the ErlebnisBauernhof, and agrarheute.com is the official media partner. Light, sound and video systems of the ErlebnisBauernhof are supported by audio+frames Veranstaltungstechnik GmbH. More information is accessible via http://www.fnl-erlebnisbauernhof.de.

media contact:
coordination office ErlebnisBauernhof
c/o Fördergemeinschaft Nachhaltige Landwirtschaft e.V. (FNL)
Simon Michel-Berger
press spokesperson FNL
tel.: 030 8866355-40, fax: 030 8866355-90
s.michel-berger@fnl.de

Presentations:

Weshalb sollen Landwirte ihren Dialog mit den Verbrauchern vertiefen?

The EISA Integrated Farming Framework – a holistic guideline for sustainable development in agriculture

Landwirtschaft schauen – eine Initiative der ÖAIP

FARRE at the 2011 International Agricultural Show – The Tree of Wishes

Action for a profitable and sustainable agriculture – from words to action

Sustainable Food & Farming – engaging hearts and minds for the long run

Sustainable agriculture – solutions for a more effective and cost-efficient use of our resources

Akzeptanz durch Erfahrungen: Die Sonderausstellung ErlebnisBauernhof auf der Internationalen Grünen Woche





LEAF and EISA kindly invite to the EISA Farm Visit in the United Kingdom on June 20/21.



Caroline Drummond, chief executive of LEAF and member of the EISA executive committee, welcomes the participants of the EISA Farm Visit in the UK
EISA Chairman Tony Worth, QV Foods Ltd, gives an introduction to A H Worth, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, the first farm visited by the EISA group
Modern technology will help ecology and economy – one key issue of the visit at QV Foods Ltd

“Sustainable Intensification and its Role in Integrated Farming” – a complex issue for the evening debate around four tables
The nil-variant of the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment has been kept without fertilization for about 160 years. The results of the oldest wheat experiment in the world impressively demonstrate the importance of nutrient supplies
Impressive research on pollinators and biodiversity in arable farming, presented by Dr Juliet Osborne (left) at Rothamsted

Thales End, Herfordshire, the second LEAF demonstration farm visited during the EISA Farm Visit in the UK. In his presentation, Ian Pigott puts a particular focus on “public engagement and delivering public goods”




Sustainable Agriculture in Practice

Awareness, innovation and thorough balance of ecology and economy
Integrated Farming points the way for future agriculture

EISA (Brussels): The annual EISA Farmers Exchange, hosted by Odling i Balans, the Swedish association for the promotion of sustainable agriculture, took place in Southern Sweden this year. "The event gave excellent insights in modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly agriculture again", said Tony Worth, chairman of EISA. "The Farmers Exchange has taken us to Sweden, France, Luxemburg, the UK, Germany and Austria in past years - and even though we have not left Central Europe, it is amazing to see how agriculture needs to respect different regions, different climatic and growing conditions as well as diverse marketing opportunities. The flexibility of Integrated Farming to adapt practices according to site and situation is a clear "sustainability advantage" of this production system", Worth concluded:

For Sven Norup, Chairman of Odling i Balans, there is one distinctive feature of Integrated Farming (IF): "Farmers who follow this holistic system do not just act according to the relevant legislation: It is the IF planning, management and evaluation approach which allows to go beyond legal requirements, to develop perspectives and to improve everyday practice continuously."

During the two day event, farmers and representatives of IF and other organisations from the agricultural chain visited three farms in Southern Sweden and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences at Alnarp, putting a particular focus on environmental issues such as climate effects, manure handling, bio-energy, nitrogen efficiency and reduced tillage. Besides EISA members and farmers, EU-representatives and other interested stakeholders are invited to participate in this regular Farmers Exchange.

The European Initiative for Sustainable Development in Agriculture (EISA), founded in 2001, is an association of national farmers organisations from six EU Member States. National member organisations are FARRE (Forum de l'Agriculture Raisonnée Respectueuse de L'Environnement, France), FILL (Fördergemeinschaft Integrierte Landbewirtschaftung, Luxemburg), FNL (Fördergemeinschaft Nachhaltige Landwirtschaft, Germany), LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming, United Kingdom), ÖAIP (Österreichische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Integrierten Pflanzenschutz, Austria) and OiB (Odling i Balans, Sweden), all with the common aim to develop and promote Integrated Farming on a European level.




Odling i Balans and EISA kindly invite to the Farmers Exchange in Helsingborg/Sweden on 20/21 September 2010!




EISA Comments on the CAP POST 2013

EISA, the European Association for the Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture, and their national members very much appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the development of the future Common Agricultural Policy. EISA are looking forward to a debate which in the end will allow to achieve a stable and predictable legal framework
  • for sustainable, efficient, innovative and competitive European agriculture,
  • ensuring adequate incomes for European farmers,
  • supporting farmers in their continuous delivery of a multitude of public benefits.
A clear focus must be put on securing high quality food supplies for roughly half a billion EU-citizens and also increasing the supply of environmentally friendly renewable energy and raw materials. In order to strengthen rural areas in Europe by generating jobs, income and positive economic development, agriculture must be sustainable and productive - and use and at the same time conserve our natural resources for coming generations.

EISA and their members highlight the importance of Integrated Farming (IF) as a holistic all-farm approach and guideline for further development of European agriculture. Beyond the continuously growing world population and the globally increasing demand for food, feed and renewable energy, there still are some areas of global concern: climate change with higher temperatures, lower water availability and the invasion of new pests, and environmental issues such as the conservation of biodiversity, the protection of ground and surface water and the conservation of soils. Integrated Farming addresses these issues as well as societal demands as decisive elements of sustainability.

With regard to the future development of the Common Agricultural Policy, the EISA European Integrated Farming Framework describes guidelines, practices and suggestions for agricultural production, covering a wide range of aspects such as "Organisation, Management and Planning", "Human and Social Capital", "Energy Use and Efficiency", "Water Use and Protection", "Climate Change and Air Quality", "Soil Management", "Crop Nutrition", "Crop Protection", "Animal Husbandry and Animal Health", "Landscape, Wildlife and Biodiversity" and "Resource Management, Product Storage and Waste Disposal". This allows for practical implementation of an all-farm approach rather than merely considering individual farming practices.

The EISA IF Framework is designed as a tool to be used on two different levels:
  • For the individual farmer (farm owner, farm manager), the EISA Framework offers a comprehensive management tool which helps to further raise awareness, to continually improve everyday practice on farm and to achieve progress in all dimensions of sustainable development.
  • For politics and administration all over Europe, the EISA Framework presents the basis for common understanding which can help to effectively shape legislative incentives and measures.
For the Integrated Farming concept, a clear and unbureaucratic legal CAP framework is needed. However, this CAP framework must leave the flexibility for farmers all over Europe to act according to their given site and situation. Hence, education, training, and capable advisory services must be understood as prerequisites for practical implementation. Only with these prerequisites, European farmers are capable to be productive, resource efficient and environmentally friendly at the same time. Last but not least, research in further innovations must be seen as decisive tool for sustainable development and hence as one element of future CAP, too.

EISA – the association
The European Initiative for Sustainable Development in Agriculture (EISA) was founded with the common aim of developing and promoting Integrated Farming throughout Europe. EISA members also help create a better public understanding of agriculture through a network of demonstration farms. EISA brings farmers and consumers together to raise awareness of how farmers are working in harmony with nature to produce high quality, safe food and renewable resources with environmental and social care.

As an organisation EISA works closely with EU Institutions and other stakeholders to contribute to the development of EU agricultural and environmental policies. With regard to future CAP, EISA and their members are willing to contribute actively to the further process of developing the CAP as a "corridor" for sustainable development in European agriculture.




ÖAIP/EISA Farmers Exchange

Austria, Rust (Vienna Vicinity)
21-23 September 2009

Policy Meets Practice
European Commission representatives join annual EISA Farmers Exchange on Integrated Farming

  • Event programme click here
  • Participants list with contact details click here
  • To learn more about "Plant and animal production in Austria" and to receive information on the farms visited, click here
  • For detailed information on some work issues of the Test & Research Station of the Vienna University of Agriculture and of the Government of Lower Austria click here
  • Photo Gallery click here
  • Press release, click here




Press Release, Presentations & Photo Gallery

EPP-ED Hearing

Food Safety and Security

Wednesday 10 December 2008

The Press Release

The Presentations
Achievements of Integrated Farming
Integrated Farming (IF): Ensures Food Safety...

The Photo-Gallery




EISA View and Recommendation

Framework Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides
(Klass Report)

Upcoming Vote in the EP Environment and Health Committee on 5th November

With a view to the upcoming vote in the EP Environment and Health Committee on the amendments to the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Framework Directive, EISA would like to express their sincere concerns with regard to the risk this poses to the further sustainable development in agriculture. ...more


Envisaged Directive 2008/Ö/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides

upcoming vote in the EP
Expert Point of View on amendment 108

... read more (English / German)




EISA Farmers Exchange 2008

The EISA Farmers Exchange 2008 took place in the area of Hildesheim (close to Hanover), Germany, from 3rd September until 5th September 2008.

To open and print the press release on the panel discussion on 4th September, please click here.

The discussion in
German


To open and print the press release on the press debate on 5th September, please click here.

The release in
German


To open and print the event report please click here.

The report in other languages:
German
Hungarian
Polish
Czech



Pictures of the Event






Tony Worth newly-elected EISA-chairman

EISA (Bonn): Tony Worth, farmer in the UK, has been elected as the new EISA chairman during the members assembly in December 2007. He has taken over the post from Heinrich Kemper MdL. However, together with two other farmers, Gerard Marmasse from France as vice-chair and Lucien Clesse from Luxembourg as treasurer, Kemper will continue his support for EISA's work as second vice-chairman of the EISA Board. Tony Worth has been working within LEAF, the national member of EISA in the UK, and within EISA itself for years. Following his unanimous election, he pointed out his vision for EISA and the role of Integrated Farming in Europe. "We need to close the gap between the farming community and society, we need to inform media, politicians and the general public about modern sustainable agriculture. The EISA demonstration Farm Network and the EISA Integrated Farming Framework are valuable assets for our communication." During his first year in office, one major event will be the EISA Farmers Exchange in 2008 in the area of Hildesheim, close to Hanover, Germany, in September 2008. For the first time, this annual exchange will be supported by EU-Commission. Details of this event will be posted on the EISA website www.sustainable-agriculture.org in due course. The European Initiative for Sustainable Development in Agriculture e.V. (EISA) is an association of six European organisations. EISA was founded in 2001 by FARRE (Forum de L'Agriculture RaisonnÈe Respectueuse de L'Environnement, France), FILL (Fördergemeinschaft Integrierte Landbewirtschaftung, Luxemburg), FNL (Fördergemeinschaft Nachhaltige Landwirtschaft, Germany), L'Agricoltura che Vogliamo (today: ASNAI, Associazione Nazionale Agricoltura Integrata, Italy), LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming, U.K.) and Odling i Balans (Sweden) to promote Integrated Farm Management on a European level.