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PRESS RELEASE
Summary of a LBI-project report ‘Wie zaait zal oogsten’ (‘Those who sow will harvest’), 2007
Date Published: 01/23/2008
In the Netherlands we work with a three category derogation system for the use of organic seeds: single derogation per
crop(segment) for non-organic seed as soon as organic seeds are available, a national annex when the assortment of a
crop(segment) is appropriate, and general derogation when no organic seeds are available, see
www.biodatabase.nl
.
This is yearly updated by expert groups who advice the ministry of agriculture. After a rapid growth of crops on the Dutch annex list,
currently several important biannual vegetable crops are not yet on the Dutch annex list. After the turbulence in 2006 when onion
appeared on the Dutch annex and no more derogations for the use of non-organic seed were permitted, it became clear that for
further progress a better attuning between growers and seed companies is required, also including relevant export countries.
The aim of this project ‘Wie zaait zal oogsten’ was to enlarge the commitment of growers in the development and the
decision making on the use of organic vegetable seed and to involve more seed companies in the production of organic seed to
arrive at 100% use of organic seed in the future. Besides, more insight in the conditions of seed companies and growers to
produce organic seed and to but it, was required. Within the limited time span of this project we focussed on those crops which
seemed promising candidates for an appropriate assortment of varieties within the coming years.
Edith Lammerts van Bueren, Coen ter Berg and organic growers
Louis Bolk Instituut, Hoofdstraat 24, NL-3972 LA Driebergen, The Netherlands. E.lammerts@louisbolk.nl
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