The Farmers Mart Dec-Jan 2018 - Issue 54 | Page 20

20 FARM NEWS
DEC/JAN 2018 • farmers-mart.co.uk
Nominations
are currently
being sought for
the 2018 John
Dennison Award.
ORGANIC FOOD:
GREEN LIGHT FOR
FRESH EU RULES
NEW rules to increase consumer trust in
organic foodstuffs and unleash the sector’s
potential for growth were approved by
the Agriculture Committee. MEPs gave the
go-ahead to the new EU law on organic
production and labelling, as agreed by Par-
liament’s negotiators and EU governments
on 28 June and endorsed on Monday by the
Council’s Special Committee on Agriculture,
by 29 votes to 11, with four abstentions.
To increase consumers’ trust:
• Strict, risk-based checks along the supply
chain that, on Parliament’s insistence, will
be on-site and for all operators, at least
annually or every two years if no fraud is
found in the previous three years.
• Imports to comply with EU standards:
current “equivalence” rules, requiring
non-EU countries to comply with simi-
lar but not the same standards, will be
phased out within five years.
• Contamination with pesticides: farmers
will be obliged to apply precautionary
measures to avoid contamination; if a
non-authorised pesticide or fertiliser is
suspected to be present, the final prod-
uct should not bear the organic label
until further investigation; if deliberate,
or the farmer failed to apply newly in-
troduced precautionary measures, the
product will lose its organic status.
Since it was launched in 2012, one element of
Borderway UK Dairy Expo which has become
integral to the event is the presentation of the
John Dennison Lifetime Achievement Award.
This annual award is presented in memory of the
highly regarded breeder of Denmire Holsteins,
John Dennison of Scales Park Farm, Ulverston.
• Member states currently applying
thresholds for non-authorised sub-
stances in organic food, such as
pesticides, could continue to do so, if
they allow other EU countries’ organic
foodstuffs complying with EU rules to
access their markets.
Four years after entry into force of this
regulation, the Commission would report
back on how efficient the EU anti-contami-
nation rules and national thresholds.
To boost EU organic
food production:
• Increasing supply of organic seeds
and animals: better data gathering on
the availability of organic seeds and
animals should increase their supply
to meet the needs of organic farmers.
Mixed farms: farms producing both
conventional and organic food would
be allowed on condition that the two
farming activities are clearly and effec-
tively separated.
• Easier certification for small farmers:
group certification for small farmers
would make their life easier and attract
more of them into the organic farming
business.
The agreed text still needs to be ap-
proved by the Parliament and the Council
before it can enter into force. It shall apply
from 1 January 2021.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
THE judging panel made up of industry
leaders, members of the Dennison family
and past winners of the award. The judges
are looking out for individuals that reflect
the traits of its namesake, John Dennison –
of paramount importance being that they
have made a similarly significant contribu-
tion to the industry. John Dennison, who
farmed at Scales Farm in Ulverston, was
well known not only for his impressive skills
as a pedigree breeders and showman, but
also as a judge and aspirational figure to
young people. Each year, John’s family have
presented this annual award to individuals
judged to be exemplary role models within
the dairy industry.
Anyone who would like to make a
Achievement Award, c/o Glyn Lucas, Harri-
nomination should send a brief resume on
son & Hetherington Ltd., Borderway Mart,
the nominee
to
the
John
Dennison
Lifetime
Rosehill, Carlisle CA1 2RS.
69663 - NorthwoodSandbachLtd - 8TH.pdf 1 09/01/2018 14:09:18
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