Periodic Reporting for period 3 - Organic-PLUS (Pathways to phase-out contentious inputs from organic agriculture in Europe)
Reporting period: 2021-05-01 to 2022-10-31
Certified organic systems have phased-out contentious inputs e.g. synthetic pesticides and fertiliser, however some inputs, currently permitted in organic and conventional systems, are still seen as contentious by consumers: copper and mineral oils applied for crop protection, antibiotics used in animal production, and peat and plastics used in crop production. The project took a transdisciplinary multi-actor approach, applying social, natural and economic sciences, and farmer knowledge. We conclude all contentious inputs can be phased-out, however timelines differ. For copper, use can be reduced from 4 kg/ha/year to 2 kg/ha from 2027. Mineral oils for plant protection can be phased-out immediately, as plant-oil based alternatives are available. Non-organic straw can be phased out immediately, alternative bedding is available and an increase to 25% organic helps with the availability. Alternative bedding e.g. from agroforestry supply chains is also becoming increasingly available. Non-organic manure can be phased-out immediately, alternative fertilisers are available. Non-organic fertilisers can be phased-out soon, but currently there is limited availability of the alternatives. Peat phase-out for nursery crop production and for mushrooms is possible in the EU starting by 2030 (it is a legal requirement in the UK by 2028). Fossil fuel derived plastic mulch can be phased-out by 2030. Alternative bio-degradable bio-based plastics are already used by growers, but require further research. The phase out of antibiotics (besides use to care for individual animals) requires system re-design for intensive organic systems. Phasing out anthelmintics is difficult, as it requires mixed grazing over larger areas and re-design with e.g. agroforestry. Novel 7-year long ‘Innovation Phase-Out Missions’ are proposed to help the bio-economy with a gradual phase-out. For phase-outs to succeed both ‘input substitution’ and ‘system re-design’ are needed.
Organic-PLUS has produced new knowledge to phase-out many contentious inputs used in organic and conventional agriculture. To minimise the need for copper and mineral oils it has built on previous research (e.g. Blight Mop, RepCo, Co Free), and extended it to crops poorly addressed before, notably Mediterranean tree crops (e.g. citrus and olive) and horticultural crops in greenhouses (e.g. tomatoes). The use in potatoes in northern Europe was also researched, especially in combination with DSS (decision support systems) and cropping system re-design. The use of copper, mineral oils and sulphur for crop protection in Europe (Katsoulas et al., 2020) and available alternatives (Andrivon et al., 2020) were mapped. Using this knowledge it could be shown in field and greenhouse trials that with a combination of methods, especially decision support systems, input substitution and re-design, legal copper limits can be halved as a first step and the phase-out of mineral oils and sulphur is feasible. For the inputs researched for livestock systems a complete phase-out of antibiotics and anthelmintics is not feasible. Further research at TRL-level 6 (technology readiness level) is needed to improve our understanding of the use of anti-infective and immune-stimulatory molecules from natural plant sources as alternatives to synthetic products. The research published various examples of promising results (e.g. with spruce bark) and also expanding into zinc used in pig production. Alternatives to straw bedding were found to be feasible, although cost and availability are still issues. In the work related to SOIL inputs (alternatives to animal manure from non-organic farms, animal-derived fertiliser inputs, peat and plastic mulching) were researched. The phase-out of all is feasible and the TRL was increased but further innovation action type research is needed. The feasibility of the phase-out including LCA analysis (life-cycle assessment) was researched for all contentious inputs using a common framework with clear policy recommendations, including highlighting knowledge gaps. Exploitation of DSS and novel concepts happened on stakeholder farms and with patents on the bio-plastic alternatives researched. This included system modelling for evaluating the cost-benefit, feasibility and operational management options for the different pathways using scenarios on case farms across Europe with economic feasibility, technical feasibility and operational feasibility. Uniquely to Organic-PLUS the technical and socio-economic research was complemented with social science on consumer conceptions of contentious inputs. This included the largest ever representative survey of public opinion on contentious inputs with over 15,000 respondents in 7 European countries. In addition, public engagement research with novel citizen-farmer hybrid competency forums in the UK, Italy and Norway has deepened our understanding of science-society dialogue about contentious inputs in farming (see website created for this: www.improvingorganic.life. All results were widely disseminated with on-farm meeting, academic dissemination, conferences and policy briefs.
Progress beyond the state of the art was achieved in multiple areas. The research produced different and tailor-made ways for the phase-out of all contentious inputs from organic and conventional agriculture. This was done in a participatory way with researchers, farmers, advisors, industry partners, charities and consumers. Our results provided novel information on contentious issues in LCA (life cycle assessment) data sets and other socio-economic assessment methods like feasibility and RISE (Response Inducing Sustainability Evaluation). Decision support systems and digital tools were combined with laboratory, greenhouse and field trials and followed on with participatory research methods, citizen/farmer juries, surveys. This combination of methods in a transdisciplinary approach for one very specific and focussed mission, “Phase-out of all contentious inputs”, is novel in itself. The results show that the phase-out can be a reality for many inputs soon, and for others within the next 10-20 years with further innovation action research proposed in our policy recommendation. This is expected to have a very high impact, a pivotal ‘game-changer’, for organic farming on 25% of the land area in Europe. The impact is not limited to organic as all inputs are equally contentious in the remaining 75% non-organic (conventional) farming, and also outside Europe. EU regulation on organic certification is followed in many parts of the world, however contentious inputs not a big debate yet. The phase-out in Europe will affect everyone. As many inputs are fossil-fuel derived or have significant effects on climate change (e.g. peat), or improve soil health (copper phase-out to store more carbon), the phase-out will help all agriculture to help with the necessary radical changes to avoid a further climate catastrophe. Further impact tracking is pledge for the next 5-years and results are feeding into new projects and innovation mission calls.