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FEBRUARY 2003

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Prof. Dr. Angelica Meier Ploeger from the University of Kassel, wellcomes the dinner guests to this FQH launching event.

The international Organic Food Quality & Health Research Association successfully launched

Valentine’s Day is not just for lovers. On Friday, the 14th February about 70 people from various different disciplines came together in Nurnberg to officially launch “Organic Food Quality & Health”, an international association of research institutions. (In short FQH association). Reflecting the organic principle of diversity, participants representing the organic industry included farmers, traders, manufacturers, retailers, certifiers, researchers, journalists, bankers.

During a dinner party hosted by Eosta (NL), Organic Farm Foods (G.Br.) and the Triodos Foundation (NL) guests representing all these sectors were seated in such a way to avoid “monoculture” at each table. This made for interesting conversations from many different points of view.

During the dinner several interesting and inspiring words were brought in under the direction of Masters of Ceremony Volkert Engelsman (Managing Director of Eosta), Prof. Dr. Angelica Meier Ploeger (G); Urs Niggli (CH) and Machteld Huber (NL) Boardmembers of the Association followed by Lawrence Woodward of Elm Farm Research Center (G.Br.), Patrick Holden of the Soil Association (G.Br.), Nadia El Hage of the FAO and Peter Blom , General Director of the Triodos Bank.

Machteld Huber M.D. from the Louis Bolk Instituut in the Netherlands presents the history of the FQH association.

Vice Chairperson Dr. Urs Niggli from FiBl, Switzerland, presents the state of the art and further needs in organic food and health research and calls upon guests to join research forces.

All participants were in agreement to pursue the goals of the research association and it was heartwarming to hear many speakers, who spontaneously got up and pledged the support of their organization. Cultural differences and personal opinions did not appear to be an obstacle to support the much needed research to further the progress of organic agriculture: Emerging evidence suggests that food grown on organic and bio-dynamic farms has greater health benefits. Current findings need to be substantiated with accepted scientific methods, while other, more sensitive methods need to be developed and refined, so that other scientists may replicate results.

In preparing the ground and developing this initiative EOSTA, the Triodos Foundation , Organic Farm Food and the Soil Association have been very supportive. Since its launching the FQH association now enjoys a broader support from Coop Switzerland, Coop Sweden, Ambootia Tea Company (India), Ulrich Walter GmbH /Lebensbaum, Alnatura, Weleda Germany, VitaCress Salads, Eastbrook Organic Meat and the World Club of Organic Supermarkets.

The core group of research institutions objective to broaden its research members succeeded as wel and wellcomed new members; WUR-Rikilt from the Netherlands, NORSOK, from Norway and Kwalis from Germany.

Working meetings with the member research institutes are being planned in August 2003. Supporting members will be invited and can expect to be informed during the next BioFach Fair in February 2004.