EU Support for Organic Agriculture Looking Ahead to 2030

Focusing on Germany

Abstract

Amidst the spread of the new coronavirus, the EU launched its “Farm to Fork” strategy in May 2020, setting a goal of increasing the proportion of agricultural land area from organic agriculture to 25% by 2030. This report presents the current state of organic agriculture and support measures, primarily focusing on Germany, which has aimed even higher, targeting a 30% increase above the EU’s organic agriculture goal by 2030. Additionally, it explores policy support for environmentally friendly agriculture, including organic agriculture, within the EU.

As of 2020, Germany boasted 1,698,764 hectares of agricultural land dedicated to organic farming, constituting 10.2% of the total agricultural land area. The number of organic farms totaled 35,413, representing 13.4% of the total. Sales of organic food in Germany stood at EUR 14.99 billion in 2020, marking a 22% increase from the previous year. German states, in collaboration with the EU and Federal Government, provide financial support for organic farming. Moreover, there is a wide range of support for organic farming, ranging from guidance provided by the Chamber of Agriculture, federal research institutes, university laboratories, and Biofach, an organic farming trade fair. It is worth noting that the “Farm to Fork” strategy, developed by the EU, transcends the boundaries of internal departments such as agriculture, health and consumer protection, and climate change. This approach has sparked debate at the national and regional levels, particularly in countries like Germany, as stakeholders strive to achieve the strategy’s objectives.