Press Release

Working together to optimise organic agriculture

European conference presents latest research results

(Frick, 12 March 2007) The 3rd QLIF Congress will take place from 20 to 23 March 2007 in Hohenheim, near Stuttgart. QLIF (Quality Low Input Food) is a large-scale EU project set up in 2004 to address the key issues in organic agriculture from the point of view of consumers and producers. The QLIF Congress will be taking place in parallel with the 9th Scientific Conference on Organic Agriculture in the German-speaking countries.

Although the QLIF project has not yet reached completion, some important results have already emerged. For example, QLIF quality research has shown that organic products contain larger amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and are therefore beneficial to health. Research into farming methods has generated promising results with regard to cost reduction and food safety; these are soon to be put to the test in terms of their applicability at a practical level. In addition, programmes developed in Switzerland with the aim of improving udder health are being tested in other European countries in the context of the QLIF project – Swiss research has demonstrated that the use of antibiotics in milk production can be reduced to zero through preventive health management. These and numerous other results will be presented at the congress.

A number of renowned speakers will also be in attendance. Dr. Timothy Hall, from the European Commission, will report on the future of EU research into organic agriculture. Professor Hartmut Vogtmann, President of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, will highlight the significance of organic agriculture for biodiversity. Dr. Charles Benbrook, from the Organic Centre in the USA, and advisor to several US governments in matters of agricultural research, will offer an account of the challenges facing organic agriculture from a North American perspective.

“We are very pleased to be able to hold this international conference at the same time as the Scientific Conference“, said the scientific director of the QLIF project, Dr. Urs Niggli (FiBL). “We hope that this pan-European dialogue between researchers and practitioners will provide important new perspectives for the organic food industry.“

Further information

The QLIF project

The QLIF project encompasses more than 30 research institutions and a number of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in Europe. The total volume of project funding is EUR 18 million, of which the European Union contributes EUR 12.4 million.
www.qlif.org

The third QLIF Congress

The third QLIF Congress is being organised by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) in cooperation with the University of Hohenheim. The schedule can be found on the congress homepage.
www.qlif-congress.org

The Scientific Conference on Organic Agriculture

The German-language Scientific Conference on Organic Agriculture takes place every two years and is organised in cooperation with a university or research institute involved in research into organic agriculture. The 2007 Scientific Conference is being hosted by the University of Hohenheim. These congresses give scientists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland the opportunity to present their research activities and results. The conference presentations are published in a proceedings volume available when the conference is held.
www.wissenschaftstagung.de

Contact

for inquiries about the QLIF project:
FiBL Director Urs Niggli, Tel. +41 62 865 72 72

for inquiries about the QLIF Congress:
Helga Willer, Tel. +41 62 865 72 72, Mobile +41 79 218 0626

Disclaimer

The activities described above have been funded by the European Commission through the contract FP6-FOOD-CT-203-5096358 QUALITYLOWINPUTFOOD and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research. Responsibility for the contents of this press release lies with FiBL and not with the European Commission.