Celebrating organic practices throughout the supply chain – Winners of the EU Organic Awards

BRUSSELS, 23 SEPTEMBER 2022 – Today, on EU Organic Day, 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

IFOAM Organics Europe’s President, Jan Plagge, celebrated the winners: “Transforming food and farming is only possible including the organic supply chain, creating practical examples and real experiences everywhere. The EU Organic Awards take this approach and show the European public such inspirational and replicable examples. At the same time, the awards show how the sector contributes to the EU Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies’ goals. These set the right mid- and long-term objectives to ensure food security in the current volatile situation. As IFOAM Organics Europe, we are proud of the winners of first ever EU Organic Awards who showcase the potential to transform food and farming. We are sure it will contribute to the importance of organic and stimulate its growth, contributing to the goals of the European Organic Action Plan. Congratulations to finalists and winners on their achievement!”

Eduardo Cuoco, IFOAM Organics Europe’s Director, adds that “These winners, and those shortlisted, inspire those working to make our food and farming system more sustainable, using organic’s potential. Some of the awards’ criteria were based on the holistic principles of organic – care, health, ecology & fairness. Organic’s approach to food and farming is a way forward to make our food system more independent from external inputs, less input-intensive and more resilient. I hope many practitioners get inspired to switch to organic and be part of the solution to many crises we are facing, including food security, and the biodiversity and climate crises.”

Representatives of the European Parliament, Council of the EU, European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), IFOAM Organics Europe and COPA-COGECA were part of an independent jury who analysed all submissions based on the awards’ criteria. Next year there will be another edition of the EU Organic Awards. Keep an eye on the EU Commission’s website and our website.

For more information please contact:
Eva Berckmans, Communications Manager
+32 2 416 27 62, [email protected]
or visit www.organicseurope.bio

IFOAM Organics Europe is the European umbrella organisation for organic food and farming. With almost 200 members in 34 European countries, our work spans the entire organic food chain and beyond: from farmers and processors organisations, retailers, certifiers, consultants, traders and researchers to environmental and consumer advocacy bodies. In 2022, IFOAM Organics Europe is turning 20, IFOAM – Organics International 50 and IFOAM Asia 10. Celebrate the Year of Organics with us!