Focus Group Organic Farming Minutes - First meeting - 23rd – 24th September 2013 - Newbury- UK

The first meeting for the EIP-AGRI Focus Group on organic farming was held on the 23rd and 24th September 2013 in Newbury, UK at the Organic Research Centrewww.organicresearchcentre.com Please see the list of participants in the Attachment 1 on page 6. The topic of this focus group is "how to optimise yields in organic arable farming" and the first meeting aimed to identify the main causes of yield gaps (i.e. reasons for which some organic farmers in comparable conditions have lower yields than others). The discussions were framed by the discussion paper, which had been circulated to the group's members in advance. In agreement with the discussion paper, the 18 participating members (2 were excused) identified in an interactive exercise five main areas of causes of yield gaps.
These five areas were further analysed and a more detailed discussion on key elements for each of these areas has been scheduled for the next meeting of the focus group. For that purpose, each member was tasked to deliver at least one "mini paper" (see attachment 3 on page 8), in which he/she will analyse the assigned issue and concentrate on providing the list of existing solutions and on proposing (new/innovative) solutions him/herself. These mini papers will be circulated within the
focus group prior to the next meeting so that the pool of expertise shared within the group can develop the individual points further.
The group selected Mr Ulrich Schmutz as its chairman. The next meeting will take place on 4-5/2/2014, either in the proximity of Barcelona, ES, or Grosseto, IT (as per members' proposals). The group was generally in favour of both proposals, therefore DG AGRI and the EIP Service Point will inquire into the logistical aspects and will choose venue accordingly.