Currently Alsace is home to more than 103 organic vineyards which is about 2,2% of the total wine production, covering 1083 hectares (which is 7% of the vineyard surface in Alsace). Organic vineyards represent 34% of organic producers in Alsace. The organic secteur has experienced strong growth in the past few years and has seen many local initiatives (participation in the Orwine project, brainstorming about energy use reduction on the properties, creation of companies for innovative action, experimentation at vineyards and sharing of results for collaboration of effective practices).
Organic agriculture emerged in Europe at the beginning of the last century under the influence of a number of threads of philosophical reasoning linked to agriculture.  The hope was to preserve the natural fertility of the soil, privilege the independence of agricultural exploitations, establish direct links between producers and consumers by providing quality produce while respecting the environment. Organic agriculture developed in France starting in the 1950s under the influence and impulse of producers who wanted to encourage and promote alternative agriculture that was based on social, ecological, economical, and ethical principles.

The legal definition of organic agriculture is agricultural production that does not use synthetic chemical products.  The agricultural definition is more comprehensive: « Agriculture based on the rational management of the living layer of the soil, while respecting biological cycles and the environment, permitting high quality, balanced, more independent, economical, and non-polluting production ». Organic agriculture pursues ecological, social, and economical objectives: the respect of natural ecosystems (balance between plants and soil, adapted species, and preservation of biodiversity, for example), the search for coherent economic development (balances between inputs and the creation of employment, cutting out the "middle-man", and ressource management for example), and finally the search for new cooperation (by privileging cooperation over competition).

For the consumer: organic agriculture is the guarantee of clean produce that limits as much as possible synthetic chemical residues in plants as well as various additives that are used in the transformation of produce.  Organic agriculture has as one of its main goals the eradication of GMOs in order to reduce the risk of genetic pollution and/or inbalance caused by the presence of GMOs.  By methodically applying the principal of precaution, organic agriculture forbids the use of conventional products that may pose a risk.  This is why only organic agriculture can offer consummers maximum genetic security.  Furthermore, organic agriculture allows producers to appropriate sales and become more economically independant.

Organics : Are we merely dreaming? Far from being a return to the past, organic agriculture finds itself at the crossroads of agricultural innovation and modernity.  Research is developping.  Specifically research to classify species (plant and animal) that are best adapted to organic modes of production, to ameliorate the cycles of rotations, to control weeds, and to bring in alternative products in the fight against anti-parasitism have seen many initiatives.  As well, the amelioration of knowledge of soils, of their fertility, and more generally their lifecycle are a part of organic agricultural research.  Agrobiologists develop innovative practices in the areas of fertilization (organic fertilizers, composts, etc), weeding (fake seeds), and association and rotation of compatable species. The battle against prasites turns toward biological control for solutions.

These habits, always being refined and improved, are for producers who are looking to re-evaluate their approach and revisit their savoir-faire.  Finally, they permit the producer to preserve their autonomy against large agro-industrial companies.

To find out more: l'OPABA, a professional organisation of organic farmers in Alsace, the FNIVAB, la fédération nationale interprofessionnelle des vins de l'agriculture biologique, l'Agence Bio, and the agence française pour la promotion et le développement de l'agriculture biologique

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