On May 23rd, LiveSeeding partner, Federbio, CREA-DC and Rete Semi Rurali organised a field day at CREA-DC’s research farm in Budrio, Italy. About 60 researchers, breeders, National authorities (Ministry of Agriculture, CREA, plant health service), Farmers’ organisations, NGOs and seed producers and their organisations, gathered for the second edition of the event that has become an important yearly appointment for the Italian organic seed industry.
About the event
Attendees had the opportunity to tour fields showcasing conservation varieties and populations of cereals (seed certification post-control), as well as a field experiment exploring epigenetics in organic wheat. The event also featured roundtable discussions and presentations on key topics impacting the organic seed sector in Italy.
Discussions centered around strategies to phase out derogations for non-organic seed, the initiation of organic variety registration, the implications of the new European Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) regulation proposal on conservation varieties and populations, and national funding opportunities for the organic seed sector.
Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange
The field day provided a valuable platform for stakeholders across the organic seed value chain to connect, exchange knowledge, and collaborate on solutions to the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. The event underscored Italy’s commitment to advancing organic seed production and fostering a sustainable and resilient agricultural system.
