EBIC and New Ag International hosted “Fostering resilient, sustainable and dynamic agriculture and food production in Europe: the roles of innovation and policy,” the second event in their Farm-to-Fork Europe series on 14 October. The live video conversation between Alexandra Nikolakopoulou, Head of Unit for the EU Farm to Fork Strategy at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health, and Luca Bonini, President of EBIC and CEO of Italpollina, was moderated by Kristen Sukalac, Consulting Partner at Prospero & Partners.

The engaging debate covered the ambitious targets proposed by the Farm to Fork Strategy and inherent tensions among objectives that create challenges for achieving them. The EU’s new Farm to Fork Strategy – an ambitious vision for the future of European food systems – aims to foster the transition to a climate-neutral food chain in the EU by 2030, of which EBIC believes plant biostimulants can play a key role in contributing to climate-smart agriculture.

Ms. Nikolakopoulou and Mr. Bonini also considered how plant biostimulants and other bio-based agricultural inputs can contribute to achieving these objectives and what policymakers need to do to help innovations be taken up by growers.

Alexandra Nikolakopoulou introduced the thinking behind the new Farm to Fork Strategy, explaining that its targets – including 50% reduction of chemical pesticides; 20% reduction in fertiliser use; and a 25% increase of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030 – are aspirational rather than legally binding. She highlighted plant biostimulants' role in increasing crop quality and reducing nutrient losses in this context, including in organic farming. In response to a question by Ms. Sukalac on conflicting policy targets between the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Organic Farming regulation (notably with regard to its restrictions on sources of nutrients which limit circularity), Ms. Nikolakopoulou stated that the Commission was aware of some internal conflicts, but accepts these as the trade-offs that policy makers and stakeholders need to debate to choose the best balance. She acknowledged the need for organic agriculture to use circular principles and incorporate sources of recycled nutrients so that organic farming may contribute to nutrient loss reduction targets alongside conventional agriculture.

Luca Bonini noted the opportunities for bio-based fertilising products created by the new EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR), which gives these products access to the Single Market for the first time. Highlighting the high levels of innovation and research among the European plant biostimulant industry, he called for regulation to keep up with such innovation, including a quick and effective implementation of the FPR. Mr. Bonini also called for more emphasis on the concept of integrated crop management, ensuring a more holistic approach to – and understanding of – plant health by farmers. He also underlined the importance of economic viability for European growers, ensuring they can respond to increased regulatory demands in an economically – as well as environmentally – sustainable way.