Biocity Erlangen

1. promote organic farming, processing and demand for organic food with short transportation routes and regional added value.

For more information about organic food and organic farming, visit the information portal on organic farming: www.oekolandbau.de

2. give priority to organic food at public institutions, events and markets and continuously increase the proportion of organic food.

Read more about organic food in public kitchens and cooking with organic products: www.bio-bitte.info

3. focus on healthy organic food, especially when providing food for children and young people, and continuously increase the proportion of organic food in daycare centers and schools.

You can find out more about sustainable eating in nurseries and schools at: www.biokannjeder.de

4. get private consumers as well as canteens and cafeterias, catering companies and restaurants interested in organic food through a variety of measures such as information, advice and educational work.

Schools can take part in the nationwide "Echt kuh-l!" competition, for example: www.echtkuh-l.de

5. network the organic sector and establish cooperation with organic farmers and organic businesses

6. take a holistic view of organic as part of sustainability and consider aspects such as regionality & fair trade, climate & environmental protection, animal welfare & veggi/vegan and food waste & zero waste. In addition to food, include other product areas such as natural cosmetics, organic drugstore goods and organic textiles and much more.

You can find a small product and shopping guide here: www.oekolandbau.de/bio-im-alltag

Based on a biological understanding of the interrelationships in agriculture, organic farming has developed into a holistic concept of land management. It strives for a closed material cycle in harmony with nature on the farm. The farmer's measures focus on optimizing the performance of the overall agricultural system, which generates a variety of mutually beneficial interactions.

Producers and processors of organic food must work in accordance with EU legislation on organic farming and its implementing regulations.

In addition, it may make sense for them to join one of the organic farming associations for marketing reasons, among others. Stricter regulations must be met for this.

A closed farm cycle is the guiding principle in organic farming. This means that arable farming and livestock farming are linked. In addition to crops for sale, fodder crops for livestock are produced on the arable land. The plant waste and animal manure are returned to the arable land either fresh or composted.

To avoid excess nutrients, which can lead to environmental and groundwater pollution, the number of animals per agricultural area may only be so high that the limit value of 170 kg of nitrogen from farm manure (slurry, liquid manure, dung) per year and hectare is not exceeded. Accordingly, it is permitted to practise livestock-free arable farming in organic farming, but under no circumstances is it permitted to practise landless livestock farming. In livestock-free farming, the lack of livestock must be "replaced" by a corresponding crop rotation with a certain proportion of legumes.

Soil is the decisive factor in organic plant cultivation. Fertile soil with active soil life is the prerequisite for good plant growth. Soil organisms break down the waste products of plant and animal production and thus make the nutrients they contain available to the plant. A wide crop rotation builds up the soil's nutrient resources and makes them available to subsequent crops.
Preventive plant protection is used to strengthen the plant's own defenses and support natural regulatory processes. This includes, for example, the active promotion of beneficial insects, the selection of species and varieties suitable for the location, timely soil cultivation and balanced fertilization.

In principle, weeds should be largely avoided through carefully planned crop rotations and appropriate soil cultivation. If they nevertheless occur to an excessive extent, the weed population is reduced to such an extent that no excessive damage to the crops is to be expected. This is usually done mechanically with harrows, hoes, brushes and, in some cases, with flaming equipment.

Crop rotation refers to the regular rotation of different crops that have different requirements for the field on which they grow. Organic farmers therefore try to match the effects of the preceding crop with the requirements of the following crop in the best possible way. The planning of a crop rotation must take into account site conditions, feed requirements, labor capacities as well as business and market aspects. Where possible, winter and summer crops should alternate. Crops with slow juvenile development follow preceding crops with a strong weed-suppressing effect.

The nitrogen required for soil fertility and plant growth is introduced into the soil through the cultivation of legumes. This plant family includes beans, peas, lupins and clover. With the help of soil bacteria, these plants can bind nitrogen from the air and accumulate it in the soil. At the same time, they loosen the soil and serve as green manure or feed for animals. Approximately 30 percent legumes in the crop rotation are necessary for these purposes.

Synthetic chemical pesticides are not permitted in organic farming. In order to keep pests and weeds at a tolerable level, the entire system with its diverse interactions of location, climate and plant cultivation measures must be considered. If all preventive plant protection measures such as choice of location, variety, soil cultivation, crop rotation and fertilization are optimally selected, this promotes plant health and makes the plants more resistant to pests.

Despite careful observance of these principles, in some years major damage can be caused by diseases and pests. In such situations, the organic farm may resort to organic plant treatment products. These can be (self-produced) agents such as broths or slurries, for example from the Indian neem tree or chrysanthemum. However, their effect cannot be compared with that of chemical pesticides. In addition to natural preparations, beneficial insects are also used specifically for animal pests. For example, ichneumon wasps can be used very effectively to parasitize the egg clutches of certain types of moth, such as the European corn borer.

The principles of organic animal husbandry are characterized by the respect of humans for living creatures. This includes the following points, for example:

• at least half of the stall area must be of a solid nature (no slatted floors or gratings),
• Cages and tethers are prohibited,
• the climate in the stall must be species-appropriate, fresh air and daylight are mandatory,
• the resting areas must be dry and littered with straw, for example,
• the animals should have access to an outdoor area,
• the stocking density in the stall and in the run must meet the animals' needs,
• the feed must be appropriate to the species and must not contain any performance enhancers or genetically modified ingredients,
• the animals must be fed with organic feed, at least 50 percent of which must come from the farm itself; a maximum of 5 percent of the feed of agricultural origin may have been produced conventionally,
• phytotherapeutic or homeopathic preparations must be used as far as possible in the treatment of illnesses,
• the use of other medicines or antibiotics is subject to strict regulations: Type, duration and frequency of treatment, hygiene, waiting time before the animal is used again for food production,
• Animal transportation must be kept as short as possible.

EU legislation on organic farming sets out detailed rules on how animals should be kept. The organic associations enforce much stricter regulations in some cases.

The inspection for organic products is organized in a similar way to the TÜV. Anyone who manufactures organic products and labels them accordingly must register with an approved inspection body. The inspection bodies are private companies, which in turn are monitored by the authorities.

The farms are inspected at least once a year after prior notification so that the farm managers can prepare the necessary documents. There are also unannounced spot checks. If there is a suspicion that a farm has used prohibited pesticides, for example, leaf or product samples are analyzed in order to be able to prove any violations.

As part of the so-called organic inspections, the entire operational process is checked. This includes a tour of the farm with an inspection of the fields, pastures, stables and storage facilities and possibly the production and sales sites. In addition, the care and fertilization measures and harvest data are recorded and compared with the feed rations, storage and sales quantities. Essentially, the inspection checks whether only permitted operating resources are present on the farm and whether the information provided by the farm manager is correct and plausible. The costs of the inspections must be borne by the farm.

Companies that violate the guidelines must expect sanctions, which can range from conditions and chargeable follow-up inspections for minor violations to the revocation of the organic status in serious cases.

Imported products may only be marketed as organic if an EU-approved inspection body has confirmed that the European standard has been met.

In addition to its enjoyment value, health value and suitability value, every food product has further characteristics that must be taken into account in a holistic quality assessment. Socio-cultural, political and ecological values such as environmental protection, nature conservation and animal welfare also play a role. The special quality of organically produced food results from the way in which the product has been produced and processed.

From a strictly scientific point of view, it cannot be proven that people who only eat organic products are healthier. However, there are numerous indications that organic food is superior in certain quality characteristics:

• Organic farming conserves resources, protects the environment, nature and water and promotes biodiversity.
• Organic products contain significantly less nitrate and far fewer residues of synthetic chemical pesticides.
• The site-adapted cultivation with organic farming measures and the species-appropriate feeding and keeping of animals in organic farming are favorable conditions for a special taste.
• In food processing, unnecessary additives, flavor enhancers, colorants and nature-identical or artificial flavorings are avoided and great value is placed on gentle and value-preserving processing methods.
• Genetic engineering is completely avoided.
• By maintaining artisanal production methods, for example when baking bread or making cheese, enjoyment is given a special status.
• Organically grown fruit and vegetables contain more health-relevant ingredients, for example antioxidant polyphenols. Organic milk contains more omega-3 fatty acids, which can have a positive effect on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

The labeling of pre-packaged organic products with the EU organic logo is mandatory. The German organic label can continue to be used in addition. If the regulations of a growers' association are met, its logo can also be used for labeling.

Organic food must also be labeled with the code number of the inspection body responsible for the farmer. The number can be used to identify the inspection body. Information on this can be obtained from the inspection authorities, for example.

Many producers and processors also join one of the organic associations. They may use the association logo to label their goods, subject to the sometimes stricter regulations.

The higher prices for organic food compared to conventional products are mainly due to the versatility of the farms. In order to ensure a closed farm cycle and wide crop rotations, they generally have to keep animals as well as grow fodder and sales crops. Production is more cost-intensive (larger barn areas, many arable areas for wide crop rotation, ...) and more labor-intensive (mechanical weed control, preventive plant protection, ...) and the yields generated are usually lower.

Price differences are particularly noticeable for fresh fruit and vegetables, especially when they come from abroad. However, it is usually cheaper for consumers if they buy organic products directly from the producer, minimally processed and seasonally adapted.