On September 23, representatives of the European institutions and the ecological sector presented the first EU Ecological Awards. Eight winners from seven categories received their awards at a ceremony in Brussels that was organized by the European Commission. The event marked the celebration of the second EU Organic Farming Day and was attended by representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, COPA-COGECA, and IFOAM Organics Europe.
The winners represent the European green sector's growth, innovation, value chain, and contribution to reducing the impact of agriculture on the climate and the environment. These were the winners:
Best Female Organic Farmer
Ms. Nazaret Mateos Álvarez, from Spain, runs an organic mushroom production center in northern Spain. She has developed a unique cultivation method that maximizes product quality while minimizing inputs and drastically reducing water consumption.
Best Male Organic Farmer
Mr. David Pejić, from Croatia, runs the oldest organic farm in Croatia, near Zagreb, and grows more than 60 different products.
Best ecological region
Occitanie (France). Currently, 19% of its total agricultural area is devoted to organic farming, i.e. 608,285 hectares and 13,265 farms. The goal is to have 30% of the entire agricultural area devoted to organic farming by 2030.
Best Eco-City
Seeham, Austria. This city, located in the northwest of Austria, is a member of the "European Green Cities Network".
Best Ecological Biodistrict
Association Bio-District Cilento, of Italy.
Best eco-friendly SME
The Goodvenience.bio, from Germany. With its ten employees, this company produces broths, soups, sauces, spices, and artisanal and ecological oils.
Best Organic Retail
La ferme à l'arbre de Liège, in Belgium. The company has a strong focus on sustainable and circular production, uses green energy, avoids packaging, and limits transport emissions by focusing on local purchases.
Best Organic Restaurant
Lilla Bjers, in Sweden. Located on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, Lilla Bjers is an organic farm and restaurant that operates under the 'from seed to plate' concept. This farm grows 300 different products preserving biodiversity without using any fossil fuels.
You can find out more about all of them by clicking here.
Source: bioecoactual.com