Evaluation, Development and Introduction of International Biodiversity and Landscape Standards for Organic Agriculture

Landscape values, like biodiversity and landscape aesthetics are more and more important products of agriculture. However, there are many organic and biodynamic farms which show lower values than the average for conventional farms. The reason is simple: there exist no corresponding standards in the current organic and biodynamic guidelines.

Our institute, in co-operation with the biodynamic movement in Switzerland (Section for Agriculture, Goetheanum, Dornach) and the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), initiated moves to take this aspect into consideration with a study containing an analysis of the current situation and concrete proposals for such standards. Several expert meetings and symposia have taken place since. In 2003, IFOAM established an expert group that includes our institute to broadly evaluate the existing proposals and to elaborate viable standards for biodiversity and landscape quality. 

The IFOAM General Assembly will vote in 2006 on whether the proposals should be added to the ‚International Basic Standards‘ (IBS) of Organic Agriculture.

The IBS implementation will be accompanied by extension programmes to assure acceptability and positive effects of the standards on the individual organic farms. A key element will be the manual for agricultural biodiversity that is in elaboration by the ELPR company.

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