Book of Abstract (incl. addendum) - IFSA symposium 2012

Workshop 6.3 Organics: their dynamics
The aim should that for each of the focus areas only a limited set of key indicators (or at least
control points) are outlined, as a result of a participatory process. Once this has been introduced a
simplification of some of the norms is possible.
The challenge is the transition from the old to the new approach without creating additional
burdens for farmers, but to base the whole system more on self-responsibility and monitoring progress.
First experiences with such an approach and recommendations are given how to implement, upscale
and combine different approaches both for regulatory bodies, advisory services and standard setters.
Currently, certification examines in fine detail to check whether boundaries have been
overstepped; in future it could rather determine where this farm is along the path and what can be
optimised.
Exits from organic farming. Dynamics in France and processes at stake at
farm level
Sophie Madelrieux, Françoise Alavoine-Mornas and Robin Gasnier
Irstea, France
Sophie.Madelrieux@cemagref.fr
Most of European countries are far from the targets set by many European Governments for organic
farming, and the incentives do not seem sufficient to secure the organic sector in the long run. The
much-vaunted success of organic farming (OF) hides more complex dynamics with a growing turnover
of organic farmers. But until now, researches as well as public policies have mostly focused on
conversion to OF, and not on the maintenance in OF. Whereas the maintenance of OF seems essential
to promote the organic sector. In the present study, we aim at investigating the opting-out phenomenon
in France in two directions. Firstly, we study its extent since we can note a lack of such data in
literature and statistics. From data provided by the Agence Bio about the number of farmers who left
organic certification between 2005 and 2010, we analyze and provide an overview of movements out
of OF throughout France. Then, from a case study in the Rhône-Alpes area, we explore the processes
which lead farmers to quit OF certification, and identify the different meanings of deregistration in
individual and farm paths regarding organic farming.
Our work show that the opting-out phenomenon is still limited in France, but highlights the
growing part of early exits (before or at the end of the conversion period), questioning the evolution of
the phenomenon. Then we point out that there is a diversity of decertification processes, as
combinations of circumstances, farmers’ and farms’ “journeys” in the framework of organic farming,
and what remains at farm’s and farmers’ level from their passage through OF certification.
The value of this approach resides in the fact that it improves the intelligibility of forms of
transition by, and practising of OF, going further than approaches by motivations and consequences,
enriching the debates about patterns of OF, difficulties that farmers have to maintain in OF, and
difficulties of the organic sector.
Sustainability assessment of stockless organic farming system with agroecological
and socio-economic indicators in Italy
Paola Migliorini, Francesco Galioto, Valentina Moschini, Massimo Chiorri and Concetta Vazzana
University of Gastronomic Science, Italy
P.Migliorini@unisg.it
Is organic agriculture sustainable? For which aspects?
These research combine the agroecological with the socio-economic dimension of sustainability.
It has been performed in the three years 2006/08, over 12 organic farms located in 6 regions of central
and northern Italy To assess agricultural sustainability at farm level the following environmental
subsystems were identified: the physical system (soil and water) and biological (flora and fauna) and
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