Prominent speakers from across Europe will gather in Copenhagen at the Organic Summit 25 (OS25) on August 18–19 to agree on a common charter with concrete recommendations on how organic farming and market can grow to 25 percent in 2030 and thus contribute to transforming future food production.
The Summit is timely as a revitalisation of Europe’s commitment to expanding organic production and markets is urgently needed if the EU’s 25%-organic-by-2030 target is to be hit. Organic share across the EU currently sits at 10%, meaning that without much stronger policies at the the member states level 25% risks being “pure fantasy”, as the Danish organic commentator (and Summit speaker) Paul Holmbeck has warned.
The high-level event brings together policymakers, researchers, farmers, and businesses from across Europe to accelerate the green transition – with organic solutions at the heart of the agenda to develop recommendations on how to achieve 25% organic farming in Europe by 2030. The Organic Summit 2025 is an extraordinary opportunity for the press to get exciting and eye-opening stories and meet all the people who will influence the future food system.
“Climate, biodiversity, and water environments are under severe pressure worldwide. Organic farming principles offer a wide range of answers and solutions to these interconnected crises, while also pointing to a path for a sufficient global food supply. These solutions will be at the top of the agenda at Organic Summit 25 (OS25),” says Rikke Lundsgaard, agronomist and project manager for OS25.
One of the standout speakers at Organic Summit 2025 is Norwegian physician and environmental advocate Gunhild Stordalen. Sheis the founder and owner of the non-profit organization EAT, which, in collaboration with the renowned medical journal The Lancet,published the “EAT-Lancet Planetary Diet” report in 2018. Its recommendations for shifting diets toward more plant-based foods have gained global support as official dietary guidelines.
In addition to Gunhild Stordalen, the conference will host a wide range of leading figures in organic agriculture, as well as decision-makers from politics, research, and the agricultural and food industries.
Other big name speakers include:
Philip Lymbery, CEO of Compassion in World Farming International
Renate Künast, former German Minister of Agriculture
Rasmus Prehn, CEO Organic Denmark and former Danish Agriculture Minister
Jan Plagge, Chairman IFOAM Organics Europe
Patrick Holden, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Food Trust, UK
Sebastian Nielsen, CEO, Slow Food.
Matthew Dillon, Organic Trade Association, US
Michael Wilde, Founder, The Organic Embassy, NL
Paul Holmbeck, board member, IFOAM – Organics International
Kristine Pilgaard, Commercial Director, MENY (DK)
Hanne Søndergaard, Executive Vice President for Agriculture, Sustainability and Communications
Details on the full Summit programme can be found here.
