Strengthening Global Organic Policy
IFOAM – Organics International Meets German Agriculture Minister
On 9 December 2025, IFOAM – Organics International Executive Director Ravi R. Prasad and Senior Manager for Membership and Operations Thomas Cierpka met with Mr. Alois Rainer, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity, at the Ministry’s office in Bonn to discuss opportunities for strengthening collaboration in advancing organic agriculture worldwide.
During the meeting, IFOAM – Organics International highlighted the longstanding support of the German government, particularly in facilitating regional and global policy dialogues. These initiatives have delivered tangible results in strengthening organic integrity at the international level. One notable example is the German–Kazakh Agricultural Policy Dialogue, which contributed to improvements in Kazakhstan’s organic regulation and ultimately led to its inclusion in the IFOAM Family of Standards.
Policy dialogues are crucial to create an enabling policy environment to promote organic cultivation and consumption. Germany’s support has contributed immensely to the strengthening of organic agriculture through building capacity of producers around the world, and we see strong potential to expand these efforts through deeper cooperation."
Executive Director, IFOAM - Organics International
The discussion also addressed the implications of the new EU organic regulation, particularly for small-scale producers and EU traders. Recent studies indicate that the financial and administrative requirements associated with compliance could result in an estimated 20% reduction in EU-certified organic farmer groups worldwide. In this context, IFOAM – Organics International called on the German Federal Ministry to support engagement at the European Commission level to advocate for revisions that address these pressing challenges.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen cooperation, including the potential launch of a joint global policy dialogue on organic agriculture. Further exchanges with the organic community are planned at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin in January, followed by engagement with global organic stakeholders at BIOFACH in Nuremberg in February 2026.
