scale, trade, organics and north Clare: BioFach and burrenLIFE

February can be a quiet month. However, there are two noteworthy events on this February, and they suit organic farmers and food producers at opposite ends of the spectrum.

The first is called BioFach. This is the largest traveling organic trade fair in the world. It is held in various locations all over the world each year: Europe gets its turn in Nuremburg on 21-24^th February. If the previous year�s attendees, and the rate at which the event is growing are anything to go by, then this event will be well worth attending for the bigger players in the organic sector.

Last year BioFach attracted over 45,000 trade visitors and over 2,500 exhibitors. This was an increase in trade visitors of 22%. The satisfaction rates were also extraordinarily high, with over 90% finding that they met their key target clients, experienced follow up business and made new business connections.

Natural health, cosmetic, kitchen and varying types of animal products complement the organic food-related products, the latter of which dominates proceedings.

The categories of attendees is also revealing: it tells as much about the differences in organic markets on mainland Europe as in the UK and Ireland. However, in terms of opening up EU markets, this information is also useful for those in the organic sector here. The four biggest categories of visitor received by exhibitors were from the specialised retail trade (excluding supermarkets), food manufacture, agriculture and the wholesale trade i.e. import and export. Natural products, supermarkets, wine and other categores were below this. Interestingly, farm shops ranked as high as supermarkets, which says a lot about how developed the farm shop system is in mainland Europe.

As regards visitors� express interests, they ranked as follows: fruit and vegetables, organic agriculture and marketing, meat, dairy and eggs, other food and then natural products (i.e.non food products). That actual straightforward food - fruit and veg, meat, milk and eggs, organic agriculture and other food - all ranked so highly suggests that there is a stubborn preference for underprocessed, natural foods, even amongst this elite set of organic sector trade and industry specialists.

Irish representation has been incredibly poor at BioFach. Delegates from 112 countries attended last year. For some reason, those part of or affiliated in some way to the organic fish sector have been quick of the mark, with almost no other players present as exhibitors.

The scale of some of these players is revealing as to the scale of the exhibitors at BioFach. With the exception of Geaoid Debruen�s Aran Gourmet, all other trade attendees were on a large, global and industrial scale. Bord Isciagh Mhara and the Irish Seaweed Industry Organisation were complemented by Atlantic Fair, BioAtlantis, Irish Seaspray, Celtic Sea Minerals and the like.

Celtic Sea Minerals supply the products globally to the animal feed industry, animal hygiene and environmental treatments markets. They are certified by the Organic Trust. They supply a the dairy feed market with a marine algae, high in calcium, magnesium and other minerals which acts as a rumen buffer, along with supplements for the pork and equine markets.

Irish Seaspray supply Irish seafood around the world, including France, Italy, the US and Germany. They had a turnover of �10 in 2005, employ 55 staff, and have a capacity of 700 tonnes a year. Amongst their products is an Organic Smoked Salmon, certified by IOFGA.

There seems to be very little interest in attending apart from this, from food producers, processors, promoters or others with an interest or stake in organics. They certainly have been conspicuous by their absence until now.

The other event on this February is at an altogether different end and scale of the food system. This event is a 3 day international conference organised by the BurrenLIFE project. The event will be in the Ennistymon, in the Falls Hotel from the 24th to 27th February, and will be themed around farming for conservation.

I�ll leave you with this one to ponder: which event most represents the true meaning of the word �organic� � the low impact, environmentally aware, managed farming of the BurrenLIFE project, or the globalised, industrialised but certified organic world of bioFach?

For more see: bioFach and

burrenlife