News


Odling i Balans and EISA kindly invite to the Farmers Exchange in Helsingborg/Sweden on 20/21 September 2010!




EISA Comments on the CAP POST 2013

EISA, the European Association for the Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture, and their national members very much appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the development of the future Common Agricultural Policy. EISA are looking forward to a debate which in the end will allow to achieve a stable and predictable legal framework
  • for sustainable, efficient, innovative and competitive European agriculture,
  • ensuring adequate incomes for European farmers,
  • supporting farmers in their continuous delivery of a multitude of public benefits.
A clear focus must be put on securing high quality food supplies for roughly half a billion EU-citizens and also increasing the supply of environmentally friendly renewable energy and raw materials. In order to strengthen rural areas in Europe by generating jobs, income and positive economic development, agriculture must be sustainable and productive - and use and at the same time conserve our natural resources for coming generations.

EISA and their members highlight the importance of Integrated Farming (IF) as a holistic all-farm approach and guideline for further development of European agriculture. Beyond the continuously growing world population and the globally increasing demand for food, feed and renewable energy, there still are some areas of global concern: climate change with higher temperatures, lower water availability and the invasion of new pests, and environmental issues such as the conservation of biodiversity, the protection of ground and surface water and the conservation of soils. Integrated Farming addresses these issues as well as societal demands as decisive elements of sustainability.

With regard to the future development of the Common Agricultural Policy, the EISA European Integrated Farming Framework describes guidelines, practices and suggestions for agricultural production, covering a wide range of aspects such as "Organisation, Management and Planning", "Human and Social Capital", "Energy Use and Efficiency", "Water Use and Protection", "Climate Change and Air Quality", "Soil Management", "Crop Nutrition", "Crop Protection", "Animal Husbandry and Animal Health", "Landscape, Wildlife and Biodiversity" and "Resource Management, Product Storage and Waste Disposal". This allows for practical implementation of an all-farm approach rather than merely considering individual farming practices.

The EISA IF Framework is designed as a tool to be used on two different levels:
  • For the individual farmer (farm owner, farm manager), the EISA Framework offers a comprehensive management tool which helps to further raise awareness, to continually improve everyday practice on farm and to achieve progress in all dimensions of sustainable development.
  • For politics and administration all over Europe, the EISA Framework presents the basis for common understanding which can help to effectively shape legislative incentives and measures.
For the Integrated Farming concept, a clear and unbureaucratic legal CAP framework is needed. However, this CAP framework must leave the flexibility for farmers all over Europe to act according to their given site and situation. Hence, education, training, and capable advisory services must be understood as prerequisites for practical implementation. Only with these prerequisites, European farmers are capable to be productive, resource efficient and environmentally friendly at the same time. Last but not least, research in further innovations must be seen as decisive tool for sustainable development and hence as one element of future CAP, too.

EISA – the association
The European Initiative for Sustainable Development in Agriculture (EISA) was founded with the common aim of developing and promoting Integrated Farming throughout Europe. EISA members also help create a better public understanding of agriculture through a network of demonstration farms. EISA brings farmers and consumers together to raise awareness of how farmers are working in harmony with nature to produce high quality, safe food and renewable resources with environmental and social care.

As an organisation EISA works closely with EU Institutions and other stakeholders to contribute to the development of EU agricultural and environmental policies. With regard to future CAP, EISA and their members are willing to contribute actively to the further process of developing the CAP as a "corridor" for sustainable development in European agriculture.




ÖAIP/EISA Farmers Exchange

Austria, Rust (Vienna Vicinity)
21-23 September 2009

Policy Meets Practice
European Commission representatives join annual EISA Farmers Exchange on Integrated Farming

  • Event programme click here
  • Participants list with contact details click here
  • To learn more about "Plant and animal production in Austria" and to receive information on the farms visited, click here
  • For detailed information on some work issues of the Test & Research Station of the Vienna University of Agriculture and of the Government of Lower Austria click here
  • Photo Gallery click here
  • Press release, click here




Press Release, Presentations & Photo Gallery

EPP-ED Hearing

Food Safety and Security

Wednesday 10 December 2008

The Press Release

The Presentations
Achievements of Integrated Farming
Integrated Farming (IF): Ensures Food Safety...

The Photo-Gallery




EISA View and Recommendation

Framework Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides
(Klass Report)

Upcoming Vote in the EP Environment and Health Committee on 5th November

With a view to the upcoming vote in the EP Environment and Health Committee on the amendments to the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Framework Directive, EISA would like to express their sincere concerns with regard to the risk this poses to the further sustainable development in agriculture. ...more


Envisaged Directive 2008/Ö/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides

upcoming vote in the EP
Expert Point of View on amendment 108

... read more (English / German)




EISA Farmers Exchange 2008

The EISA Farmers Exchange 2008 took place in the area of Hildesheim (close to Hanover), Germany, from 3rd September until 5th September 2008.

To open and print the press release on the panel discussion on 4th September, please click here.

The discussion in
German


To open and print the press release on the press debate on 5th September, please click here.

The release in
German


To open and print the event report please click here.

The report in other languages:
German
Hungarian
Polish
Czech



Pictures of the Event






Tony Worth newly-elected EISA-chairman

EISA (Bonn): Tony Worth, farmer in the UK, has been elected as the new EISA chairman during the members assembly in December 2007. He has taken over the post from Heinrich Kemper MdL. However, together with two other farmers, Gerard Marmasse from France as vice-chair and Lucien Clesse from Luxembourg as treasurer, Kemper will continue his support for EISA's work as second vice-chairman of the EISA Board. Tony Worth has been working within LEAF, the national member of EISA in the UK, and within EISA itself for years. Following his unanimous election, he pointed out his vision for EISA and the role of Integrated Farming in Europe. "We need to close the gap between the farming community and society, we need to inform media, politicians and the general public about modern sustainable agriculture. The EISA demonstration Farm Network and the EISA Integrated Farming Framework are valuable assets for our communication." During his first year in office, one major event will be the EISA Farmers Exchange in 2008 in the area of Hildesheim, close to Hanover, Germany, in September 2008. For the first time, this annual exchange will be supported by EU-Commission. Details of this event will be posted on the EISA website www.sustainable-agriculture.org in due course. The European Initiative for Sustainable Development in Agriculture e.V. (EISA) is an association of six European organisations. EISA was founded in 2001 by FARRE (Forum de L'Agriculture RaisonnÈe Respectueuse de L'Environnement, France), FILL (Fördergemeinschaft Integrierte Landbewirtschaftung, Luxemburg), FNL (Fördergemeinschaft Nachhaltige Landwirtschaft, Germany), L'Agricoltura che Vogliamo (today: ASNAI, Associazione Nazionale Agricoltura Integrata, Italy), LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming, U.K.) and Odling i Balans (Sweden) to promote Integrated Farm Management on a European level.