The NFU Organic Forum seeks to build a resilient, sustainable and thriving organic sector, through representing NFU organic farmer members views both externally and internally.
The forum meets regularly to discuss and review policy related to organics and provides recommendations to the relevant teams within the NFU.
This year the top priorities for the organic forum are:
Ensuring the marketplace is fit for purpose
Supporting organic producers through economic downturn.
Ensuring future farming schemes are fit for purpose
To ensure that future farming schemes are fit for purpose the forum will review standards to ensure that the schemes work for organic farmers.
The forum will lobby Defra to understand what a new organic farming scheme will look like and help develop this scheme.
Shape domestic organic policy to ensure that the policy is fit for purpose and will support a sustainable organic sector
Defra will be reviewing domestic organic regulations and looking at organic regulation from around the world. The NFU Organic Forum will review the current legislation and formulate key asks around future organic regulation.
Identifying organic policy asks to that will support producers to work towards NFU’s Net zero ambitions
The forum will identify potential policy asks that are beneficial for organic farmers and the wider net zero ambitions.
Exploring potential trade opportunities for the organic sector
The forum will engage with industry to understand the potential opportunities for organic exports and to ensure these opportunities are recognised by the government and the wider NFU.
NFU Organic Forum vice chair Mark Wycherley has been working hard with the NFU’s ELMs working group to give an organic perspective. He is also trialling how SFI on his organic farm in Shropshire.
With pressures on input prices and availability there has been an increased interest in regenerative farming techniques, the NFU Organic Forum is keen to share their knowledge and expertise of organic farming practices with the wider farming community.