On 23 September 2024, the European Commission announced the winners of the third EU Organic Awards. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) chose and awarded the winners in three key categories: Best Organic Food Processing SME, Best Organic Food Retailer, and Best Organic Restaurant.

The winners are:

• Best Organic Food Processing SME: Gino Girolomoni Cooperativa Agricola (Italy), a cooperative producing organic pasta in the Marche region using renewable energy, supporting over 300 local farmers.
• Best Organic Food Retailer: SAiFRESC (Spain), a farmer-led initiative producing 70 varieties of organic fruit and vegetables on 30 hectares of organic farmland, promoting a circular economy and offering educational workshops.
• Best Organic Restaurant/Food Service: Kalf & Hansen (Sweden), a restaurant chain specialising in 100% organic, seasonal Nordic cuisine, known for sustainable sourcing and strong ties with local producers.

Peter Schmidt, president of the EESC’s section on Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT) praised the winners, noting that the awards recognise innovation and excellence in the EU’s organic sector. He emphasised that increasing the accessibility and affordability of organic products is essential for the sector’s growth and to help the EU meet its target of 25% organic farming by 2030. ‘However, solving social problems through agricultural policies is the wrong approach. Social policies must empower European citizens to afford organic products’, he added.

The EU Organic Awards are part of the broader EU Organic Day initiative, launched in 2021 to highlight the benefits of organic farming. Organic farming, supported by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, grew significantly from 5.9% of EU agricultural land in 2012 to 10.5% by 2022, with retail sales reaching €45 billion in 2022. Despite economic challenges, the EU remains the second-largest organic market globally, after the US. (ks)