Statement from Roger Kerr, chief executive at OF&G (Organic Farmers & Growers), on the EU recognition for UK organics

OF&G (Organic Farmers & Growers) welcomes the news of the recognition of all six UK organic control bodies by the EU.

This will allow UK organic produce to continue to be traded across European markets next year, which would otherwise have been closed to the sector from 1 January 2021.

However, uncertainty remains as the recognition fails to address the regulatory status beyond the end of 2021 as new EU organic regulation comes into effect on 1 January 2022.

“This is a short-term gain for the industry and the news will be a relief to the organic sector that’s been living with uncertainty for so long,” says OF&G CEO Roger Kerr.

“But it still doesn’t deliver the robust national organic equivalency agreement between the UK and EU we’re calling for.

“We would anticipate that this would avoid the need for label changes and could mean that the requirement for certificates of inspection can be avoided once there’s an agreement. This would be of significant benefit to operators.”