European Consortium of the Organic-based Fertilizer Industry

ECOFI

ECOFI represents producers of organic fertilisers and soil improvers in the European Union.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

28 Nov 2025 · Fertilisers products, CLP

ECOFI urges simpler EU rules for organic fertilizers

18 Nov 2025
Message — ECOFI calls for a "streamlined, transparent, and science-based process" to update authorized fertilizer lists. They seek the removal of "unworkable" restrictions on "factory farming" materials to ensure consistency.12
Why — Streamlined rules would reduce compliance costs and administrative burdens for fertilizer manufacturers.34
Impact — Certification bodies would lose the power to apply their own divergent national interpretations.56

Response to Circular Economy Act

6 Nov 2025

Organic-Based Fertilisers (OBFs) are prime examples of the circular economy in action in the EU. The OBF industry transforms what would otherwise be discarded materials from other agricultural and industrial processes into refined fertilising products for the benefit of farmers. This avoids landfilling or incineration and gives these biobased materials a new lease of life in innovative, safe and sustainable products. This also prevents the loss of nutrients in organic forms contained in these materials and makes them available to plants and soils in reliable quantities instead. Given how nutrient pollution and losses cost the EU an estimated 70 320 billion in environmental losses annually, facilitating access to the market for products like OBFs should be a priority for the EU. Despite OBFs potential to play an essential role in the creation of a truly circular European economy, the current regulatory landscape does not promote access to or take-up of circular products like OBFs. More must be done to support circular fertilising products, such as OBFs, to market within the EU. The Circular Economy Act (CEA) must ensure circular plant nutrition is a focal point of the EU's work on building a circular economy. In addition to supporting access to the market by calling on the EU to address regulatory inconsistencies and gaps in, among others, the Fertilising Products Regulation, the Animal By-Products Regulation, and the Waste Framework Directive. The CEA must also ensure that once a single market for circular products is created, EU policy focuses on incentivising farmers use of these innovative and sustainable fertilising products. The CEA must lay out policies focused on accelerating OBF uptake, recognising their benefits, and providing education, advice, and opportunities for upskilling in the optimal application of such complementary and sustainable solutions. Further comments from ECOFI, as well as resources, can be found in the attached file. ECOFI remains available to support the Commission as it continues its work on developing the CEA.
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Fertilizer industry urges EU to modernize animal byproduct recycling rules

14 Oct 2025
Message — The industry requests that recycled materials like shells and guano be recognized as safe. They propose streamlining facility approvals and removing restrictive packaging and dilution requirements. Finally, they advocate for a science-based system to include new circular materials.123
Why — Modernizing these rules would lower production costs and eliminate the need for redundant infrastructure.45
Impact — Stakeholders prioritizing absolute containment lose a layer of protection against accidental byproduct misuse.6

ECOFI Urges Revision of EU Fertiliser Rules for Market Access

16 Sept 2025
Message — ECOFI requests a revision of the fertilizer rules to ensure better single market access. They want to restore standard chemical registration requirements and include more raw materials.12
Why — This would lower compliance costs and remove technical barriers for small organic fertilizer businesses.34
Impact — Environmental groups lose the benefit of higher safety data standards for chemical additives.567

Response to Revision of the 'New Legislative Framework'

2 Sept 2025

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) welcomes the European Commissions plan to revise the New Legislative Framework (NLF) to ensure it supports innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness across EU product legislation. As an association representing producers of organic-based fertilisers (OBFs), we see this as a vital opportunity to ensure that product legislation can better accommodate circular economy principles and the use of safe, innovative materials. ECOFI invites the Commission to consider the insights and proposals in our recent paper: Unlocking circularity in fertilising products: a pathway for new materials under the FPR www.ecofi.info/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/20250531-ECOFI-Paper-PathwayfornewMaterialsFPR-Final.pdf Membership in the European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertilisers Industry (ECOFI) is open to any bona fide European producer of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, organic soil improvers, and/or fertilisers incorporating components derived from organic materials. Find out more in the attached submission.
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ECOFI urges better market access for organic-based fertilizers

23 Jun 2025
Message — ECOFI requests regulatory changes to improve single market access for organic fertilizers. They advocate for farmer incentives within the Common Agricultural Policy to boost uptake. The group seeks alignment between circular economy policies and existing fertilizer rules.12
Why — Reduced regulatory complexity would allow companies to scale up and enter new markets.34
Impact — Manufacturers of traditional mineral fertilizers could lose market share to bio-based alternatives.5

Meeting with Gabriela Tschirkova (Cabinet of Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis)

6 Jun 2025 · Simplification

Response to EU Start-up and Scale-up Strategy

14 Mar 2025

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) represents manufacturers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, organic soil improvers, and fertilisers incorporating components derived from organic materials in the EU. These fertilisers are a prime example of the circular economy in action, enabling European farmers to become more competitive and farm more sustainably while also reducing nutrient pollution and strengthening the EUs open strategic autonomy. OBF manufacturers transform materials that would otherwise be discarded from agricultural and industrial processes, helping close the loop on nutrient cycles while minimising waste and maximising resource efficiency. This benefits European farmers, soil health, and the environment. Many European OBF producers are classified as small and medium enterprises and primarily sell their products at the member state level today. They face the most challenges when looking to scale up their business rather than when setting it up. Regulatory fragmentation across different EU member states, issues with the mutual recognition process, and an incomplete single market are some of the key challenges OBF producers face across the EU. The EU must ensure that all existing and planned regulations work together to ensure European businesses can thrive. By supporting innovative European OBF scale-ups, the EU is helping to support Europes strategic autonomy, competitiveness, and food security. ECOFIs asks are: 1. For the EU to prioritise the completion of the Single Market to allow scale-ups to grow 2. Ensure all new EU strategies and legislative proposals recognise that supporting innovation must also include clear pathways to market (and therefore scale up potential) 3. Address regulatory and policy inconsistencies and incoherences within the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/1009 (FPR) and related legislation to improve producers access to the Single Market 4. Ensure the circular economy is fully integrated into the Single Market to ensure innovative circular businesses thrive 5. Encourage investment in innovation by adopting a criteria-based approach that keeps pace with industry advancements and provides a clear pathway for future developments Please find more detailed comments and information in the attached document.
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Organic fertilizer industry demands inclusion in EU water strategy

4 Mar 2025
Message — ECOFI regrets the lack of emphasis on the agri-food sector in this strategy. They argue regulatory inconsistencies continue to restrict market access for circular fertilizers. They recommend that EU policies must incentivise the use of these high-quality products.123
Why — Better regulatory frameworks would boost competitiveness for rural-based manufacturers and enhance market access.4
Impact — Conventional fertilizer producers face competition from recycled alternatives that require less water in production.5

ECOFI urges EU to harmonise fragmented organic fertiliser regulations

31 Jan 2025
Message — The group requests a shift from static positive lists to a criteria-based approach. They also call for better coordination between technical units to ensure policy coherence.12
Why — A criteria-based approach would allow producers to use a wider range of raw materials.34
Impact — External advisory groups would lose influence over technical standards and organic certification rules.5

Organic fertilizer industry demands clarity on recycled manure rules

17 May 2024
Message — ECOFI believes it is necessary to clarify the status of RENURE products. They want other processed manure products investigated for exemption from nitrogen limits. They call for an impact review five years after entry into force.123
Why — Clearer rules would enable fertiliser producers to promote the use of circular materials.4
Impact — Mineral fertiliser producers could lose their preferential treatment compared to organic alternatives.5

Response to Evaluation of the Regulation 2019/515 on the Mutual Recognition of Goods

29 Jan 2024

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertilizer Industry (ECOFI) welcomes the current call for evidence in the context of the evaluation of Regulation (EU) 2019/515 on the mutual recognition of goods, and as provided for by Article 14(1) of this Regulation. ECOFI members report that organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers and organic soil improvers (as defined by Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 on EU fertilising products) continue to face challenges when it comes to the free movement of goods lawfully marketed in another EU Member State. Please find ECOFI's full submission attached here.
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ECOFI calls for flexible soil monitoring and farmer support

3 Nov 2023
Message — ECOFI requests flexibility in choosing soil health indicators and rejects the simplistic one-out-all-out approach for assessment. They also call for financial support and technical assistance for farmers to implement sustainable management practices.123
Why — The industry would avoid new administrative burdens and conflicting requirements on industrial soils.4

Response to Processed manure as component material in EU fertilising products

30 Oct 2023

You can find ECOFI's feedback in the PDF attached here. The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, and organic soil improvers. ECOFI membership is open to European producers in the sector whose production fully ensures the upstream traceability and the origin of raw material components. Find out more: www.ecofi.info
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Response to Amendment of the list of products and substances authorised in organic production

23 Aug 2023

This amendment to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1165 is of real interest to the organic-based fertiliser industry, as it broadens the scope of bio-waste eligible for use in organic farming. This addition seems to fit in perfectly with the circular economy approach. However, ECOFI members feel that certain points need to be clarified to avoid any over-interpretation by Member States - see comments below: - Scope of bio-waste concerned by this entry in Annex II of EU Regulation 2021/1165 : => Add clarification: Composted or fermented bio-waste (the term "biowaste" being defined in art. 3 of the Directive 2008/98/EC* of the European Parliament and of the Council). - Traceability : => Ask operators involved in the collection and treatment or recovery of biowaste to ensure the traceability of flows throughout the chain. - Unpackaged biowaste: => In order to comply with the principles of the circular economy, bio-waste that has been sorted at source and then deconditioned on a platform for which a deconditioning activity is authorised by the national authorities should be authorised. => Add in the specific conditions column: Bio-waste that has been deconditioned after sorting at source is authorised. - Heavy metals : => The contaminant thresholds set by RUE 2021/1165 for composted / fermented bio-waste are authoritative. => Specify: Compost or bio-waste digestate must comply with the maximum concentrations in mg/kg of dry matter for the following contaminants: cadmium: 0.7; copper: 70; nickel: 25; lead: 45; zinc: 200; mercury: 0.4; chromium (total): 70; chromium (VI): not detectable - Macroscopic impurities : => Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 sets inert/impurity criteria for compost (CMC 3) and digestate (CMC 5). => Ask the EC to include these thresholds in the "composted or fermented bio-waste" item of the AB regulation to prevent Member States from setting more stringent criteria on their own initiative. Do not hesitate to reach out to jessica@prospero.ag for more information.
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Organic fertilizer industry urges support for carbon farming

23 Mar 2023
Message — ECOFI wants soil carbon sequestration through organic fertilizers recognized as a best practice. Farmers require financial support and advisory services to adopt carbon farming techniques effectively. They insist that food security must remain the top priority for European farming.123
Why — Recognition in the framework would likely increase market demand for organic-based fertilizer products.4

Response to Amendment of the list of products and substances authorised in organic production

21 Nov 2022

In Annex II, the draft foresees the replacing the entry Composted or fermented mixture of household waste by: Composted or fermented bio-waste'. This new wording is consistent with the reality of the biowaste flows that manufacturers of fertilising products may have to deal with. Indeed, these flows can come from households, food industries or retail. In terms of of circular economy and reduction of waste, it seems indeed essential to maximise the agricultural valorisation of this biowaste. In addition, the draft text requires a monitoring system for pesticide residues by manufacturers using this biowaste as raw material. This requirement was not present in the previous version. ECOFI questions the expected management system. Indeed, a segmentation of flows, according to the potential presence or not of pesticide residues, is not realistic given the current organisation of collections. This would mean excluding biowaste from households, and certainly from large-scale distribution due to the potential risk of pesticide residues. This exclusion is not consistent with a desire to treat more organic waste in order to avoid its disposal, and reduces the range of materials available for organic farming. In order to avoid distortion in the approach by different Member States, an impact assessment of the different management systems should be carried out before including this obligation in the regulation. Furthermore, the addition - according to this new description - of streams from retail or food industries does not seem to increase the risk of pesticide residues compared to the streams from households already allowed in the previous version of the implementing regulation. This criterion should therefore be revised, as it is incompatible with the use of biowaste composts or digestates in organic production and will lead to a decrease in possible outlets compared to the current version of the Regulation.
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Organic fertilizer industry urges deletion of 'unworkable' by-product rules

24 Oct 2022
Message — The industry demands the removal of unworkable mixing and packaging restrictions. They also want rules to include all organic fertilizer categories.123
Why — Removing these restrictions would allow companies to maintain standard bulk delivery practices.4
Impact — Regulators focused on preventing fraud in the food chain would lose specific oversight measures.5

ECOFI urges EU to include organic fertilizers in nutrient plan

26 Apr 2022
Message — The group urges the Commission to include specific references to organic-based fertilizers and nutrient use efficiency. They request the removal of regulatory barriers to support the uptake of recycled plant nutrition solutions.12
Why — Improved regulatory coherence would facilitate market access and growth for organic fertilizer manufacturers.3
Impact — Intensive livestock farmers may face restrictions on the over-application of animal manures.4

Response to Soil Health Law – protecting, sustainably managing and restoring EU soils

16 Mar 2022

By definition, organic-based fertilisers (OBFs) and soil improvers add organic matter to soils. Therefore, OBFs aim not only to provide nutrients to plants but also improve soil fertility thanks to their organic matter content, with a positive effect on soil microbial activity too, and a significant role in improving the carbon capture and storage capacity of agricultural soils. Soil health has always been high on our agenda, and an improved understanding of how to protect, maintain and improve soil fertility is a priority for our industry. As the European organisation representing the organic-based fertiliser industry in Europe, ECOFI would like to offer its insights on the Call for Evidence to inform the development of an EU legislative proposal on healthy soils. The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, and organic soil improvers. www.ecofi.info | Twitter: @organiCarbon You can download ECOFI's contribution to this call for evidence on soil health in the PDF attached.
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Response to Technical amendments to the Fertilising Products Regulation

9 Mar 2022

You can find ECOFI's feedback in the PDF attached here. The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, and organic soil improvers. ECOFI membership is open to European producers in the sector whose production fully ensures the upstream traceability and the origin of raw material components. Find out more: www.ecofi.info
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Response to Agronomic efficiency and safety criteria for by-products in EU fertilising products

14 Jan 2022

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertilizer Industry (ECOFI) welcomes the opportunity to comment of this draft delegated regulation laying down criteria on agronomic efficiency and safety for the use of by-products in EU fertilising products. You can find our comments attached here, embedded in the draft delegated act itself and accompanied by ECOFI's additional comments to the Commission's explanatory note.
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Response to Sustainable food system – setting up an EU framework

26 Oct 2021

Organic-based fertilisers (OBFs) respond directly to the goals of the Sustainable EU Food Systems initiative outlined in the inception impact assessment. You can download our contribution in the PDF attached. The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, and organic soil improvers. www.ecofi.info
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Response to Agriculture - List of products and substances authorised in organic production

23 Apr 2021

Not all organic fertilisers and organic soil improvers are used in organic production, since the term “organic” when used to refer to fertilisers and soil improvers refers to their carbon content and predates the definition of organic agriculture by many decades. Nonetheless, organic production is an important market for organic fertilisers and soil improvers. As the European organisation representing a large proportion of organic fertiliser producers in Europe, ECOFI would like to offer its insights on the draft Commission Implementing Regulation on organic farming, with a view to securing a pragmatic and workable framework. Having examined the draft Commission Implementing Regulation authorising certain products and substances for use in organic production and establishing their lists as well as its Annex, ECOFI would like to submit the comments in the PDF attached. Find out more: www.ECOFI.info
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Response to Statistics on Agricultural Input and Output

31 Mar 2021

ECOFI supports the objectives of the proposal for a new regulation on Farming statistics – agricultural inputs and outputs (updated rules). Following ECOFI’s previous comments to the relevant Roadmap, we warmly welcome the inclusion of a new distinction between “inorganic” and “organic” fertilisers in agriculture under the category heading “Nutrients in agricultural fertilisers”. This is a crucial step forward with regard to modernising the approach to agricultural statistics, and bringing them up to date with realities on the ground today. However, it is important to cover all categories of inputs that improve farming. For example, data should be collected on all of the plant nutrition and soil fertility product function categories in Reg (EU) 2019/1009. You can find ECOFI's contribution in full in the PDF attached here. The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertilizer Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilizers, organo-mineral fertilizers and organic soil improvers to the EU institutions. Find out more on www.ecofi.info
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Response to Technical amendments to the annexes to the Fertilising Products Regulation

16 Mar 2021

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (www.ECOFI.info) represents producers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers and organic soil improvers. ECOFI welcomes the issuing of a draft delegated act amending technical provisions of Annexes to the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (hereinafter referred to as the FPR) by the European Commission; amendments which would start to apply on 16 July 2022. As mentioned in the draft delegated act, previous consultations on the amendments have been made and, ECOFI, as observer to the ‘Commission Expert Group on Fertilising Products’, submitted comments, notably both in September 2020 and in December 2020, some of which were taken into account by the European Commission. As part of this mandatory publication for feedback, ECOFI would still like to make the comments attached here on certain provisions of the draft delegated act.
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Response to Thermal oxidation materials and derivates in EU fertilising products

15 Feb 2021

Considering these products could be raw materials for many organic-based fertilising products, ECOFI has examined the draft STRUBIAS delegated acts and annexes, and ECOFI would like to submit the following comments on the thermal oxidation materials and derivatives. You can find ECOFI's comments in the PDF attached. The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertilizer Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilizers, organo-mineral fertilizers and organic soil improvers. www.ecofi.info www.twitter.com/OrganiCarbon
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Response to New EU Soil Strategy - healthy soil for a healthy life

10 Dec 2020

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, and organic soil improvers. www.ecofi.info | Twitter: @OrganiCarbon By definition, organic-based fertilisers (OBFs) and soil improvers add organic matter to soils. As the European organisation representing the organic-based fertiliser industry in Europe, ECOFI would like to offer its insights on the Roadmap for the new EU soil strategy in the attached document.
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Response to Action plan for the development of EU organic production

23 Oct 2020

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) has the following considerations about the EU Action Plan for the development of EU organic production. Not all organic fertilisers and organic soil improvers are used in organic production; in the context of fertilisers, the term "organic" refers to carbon content (as in “organic chemistry”) and predates the definition of organic agriculture by many decades when used to refer to fertilisers and soil improvers. Nonetheless, organic production is an important market for organic fertilisers and soil improvers. As the European organisation representing a large proportion of organic fertiliser producers in Europe, ECOFI would like to offer its insights on the Roadmap for the action plan for the development of EU organic production.
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Response to EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change

30 Jun 2020

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, and organic soil improvers. ECOFI has the following considerations (see attached document) about the initiative of the EU Strategy on Adapting to Climate Change and the problem and possible policy actions it aims to address.
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Response to Statistics on Agricultural Input and Output

10 Apr 2020

Please find the comments from the European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertilizer Industry (ECOFI) on the Roadmap on Farming statistics – agricultural inputs and outputs (updated rules) attached here.
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Response to Farm to Fork Strategy

13 Mar 2020

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) has the following considerations about the initiative of the Farm to Fork Strategy and the regulatory and non-regulatory measures it will aim to propose at EU-level. Sustainable production and supply chains Many companies producing refined organic-based fertilisers (OBFs) were initially set up to revalorise waste materials from local industries, whether those were processing food, textiles, cosmetics, or other products. The circular economy was the original raison d’être of the sector. More sustainable agricultural production  Refined organic-based fertilisers o provide nutrients and carbon from circular sources in reliable, high-quality products to the farmer; o promote efficient use of nutrients, water and other crop inputs, therefore reducing pollution from run-off and leaching; o increase soil carbon, improving capacity for carbon capture and thus climate-smart production; and o increase soil organic matter, improving soil structure, capacity for water retention, fertility, and biodiversity. More sustainable supply chains  Refined organic-based fertilisers embody the principles of the circular economy as an industry that has evolved from local agricultural value chains o Examples:  vegetable cakes left over after oil extraction from plants,  vegetable pulps from the beverage industry (grapes, fruits, etc.)  fish, fish bones, fish meal, and shells,  spent yeast, vinasse and other by-products from the beverage industry  manures from livestock production,  treated hides and skins from the tanning industry,  and many more. Refined OBFs contribute to the objectives of the Farm to Fork Strategy • Better nutrient use efficiency will help to reduce fertiliser and pesticide inputs. • Better soil fertility will lead to better carbon storage in EU agricultural soils while improving soil structure, water retention capacity and climate resilience. • The circular nature of the products will contribute to the reduction of food waste. Policy coherence crucial at EU-level To ensure the production of refined organic-based fertilisers is able to contribute solutions to some of the problems the Farm to Fork Strategy aims to address, there must be coherence between all relevant policy frameworks that govern agricultural production, inputs, and land use. This includes the Fertilising Products Regulation, the Common Agricultural Policy, the Organic Farming Regulation, the upcoming Farm to Fork Strategy, Biodiversity Strategy and Circular Economy Strategy, and more. It is also essential to ensure that these policies deliver a Single Market for all relevant products. This is currently not the case for organic production, where acceptance of agricultural inputs varies not just from one Member State to another but also from one certifying body to another. The CAP should ensure adequate training, advisory and incentives for farmers to learn about and adopt sustainable, site-specific practices such as integrated plant nutrition and soil fertility management. About ECOFI The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI) represents European producers of organic fertilisers, organo-mineral fertilisers, and organic soil improvers.
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Response to Modification and extension of current rules on organic production

23 Jul 2018

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertilizer Industry (ECOFI) produces organic fertilizers and soil improvers and organo-mineral fertilizers, many of which are approved for use in Organic Farming. With regard to Annex I of the draft regulation, ECOFI suggests that it is important to establish a common European definition of what is meant by ‘factory farming’ to avoid divergent national interpretations (which is the situation today). For example, Commission memo VI/5684/95rev.05 defined factory farming according to the two following cumulative criteria: 1) The animals are most of the time hindered from moving free around 360° or kept in obscurity or deprived from litter. This includes particularly: Livestock in batteries (poultry or other animals), fattening chickens with more than 25 kg weight / m² . 2) Livestock without any other agriculture activities on the farm. This kind of livestock is done in agricultural units which do not have any agricultural area for plant production which would allow the disposal of animal excrement. We also advocate the use of products containing peat for all agricultural crops (not only for home gardening, floriculture and or nurseries) if the peat is used as a component of a soil improver or fertilizer that otherwise meets organic farming requirements. We are happy to provide further details as needed. www.ecofi.info
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