ETO Association Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary

ETO Association Celebrated Its 30th Anniversary The Ecological Agriculture Organization (ETO) Association, which ranks among the world's pioneering organizations in organic farming, celebrated its 30th anniversary at the Aegean Exporters Unions. All stakeholders of organic farming gathered at ETO's 30th anniversary celebration. Mehmet Ali Işık, who made history as the first person from the organic sector to be elected Chairman of the Board in the 83-year history of exporter unions in Turkey, EİB Organic Products and Sustainability Coordinator and Chairman of the Aegean Dried Fruit and Products Exporters Union and founder of the Ecological Agriculture Organization Association, and Başak Egesel, Head of the Department of Good Agricultural Practices and Organic Farming at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, delivered opening remarks at the event. Prof. Dr. Uygun Aksoy, Chairman of the Ecological Agriculture Organization Association, gave a presentation on ETO's 30-year history and its national and international projects. The meeting was attended by past and current ETO Chairmen, Founding Members and Board of Directors, ETO members, representatives from Provincial/District Agricultural Directorates and District Municipalities, NGOs, universities, organic farming producers and exporters. Another significance of 2022 is that it marks the 50th anniversary of IFOAM's founding and 2022 has been declared the Year of Organic Farming. At the same time, the European Union has declared 23 September 2022 as 'Organic Day'.

Mehmet Ali Işık, EİB Organic Products and Sustainability Coordinator and Chairman of the Aegean Dried Fruit and Products Exporters Union, made the following comments:

"Organic production and exports in Turkey began 32 years ago from Izmir under the leadership of the Aegean Exporters Unions. As Aegean exporters who account for 75% of our country's organic product exports, we are investing in many sustainability projects with the cooperation of both academia and our national and international stakeholders. For 30 years, ETO has been one of our main stakeholders that creates added value by embracing all segments—from producers of ecological products and organic farming to exporters, universities and consumers, with the principle of promoting the development and adoption of ecological production, products and organic farming. We have reached where we are today over 30 years with all our stakeholders, nail and nail. [caption id="attachment_144944" align="aligncenter"] Mehmet Ali Işık, EİB Organic Products and Sustainability Coordinator and Chairman of the Aegean Dried Fruit and Products Exporters Union[/caption] Our export success of USD 1.6 billion is a result of our cooperation and the success of organic farming. The experience we have in organic farming has brought us to where we are today. We reach 100 thousand farmers in the Aegean Region." "We were appointed as Coordinator Union by the Ministry of Commerce in the organic sector. EİB established the Sustainability Department for the first time among exporter unions in Turkey. Organic farming is a revolution in the world. Federal Agriculture Minister of Germany Cem Özdemir announced that they will use 30% of the Ministry of Agriculture's resources for research, innovation and investment spending aimed at strengthening organic farming. The transition to organic farming is a strategic decision for the development of European Union countries. Turkey should also develop a new and comprehensive strategy in organics. That is why ETO's mission in our country is very important. Organic production, which began 30 years ago in Turkey with the dried fruit sector, has reached a position where it now produces in many different sectors. Our country has annual organic exports of USD 500 million. Together with all our stakeholders, we will increase our organic sector's exports to USD 1 billion."

Organic farming is very important for our country's future, and ETO is a very important value for organic farming

Başak Egesel, Head of the Department of Good Agricultural Practices and Organic Farming at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, said the following on the subject: "Turkey is a country with a command of food. ETO is one of the most important representatives of ecological production. Organic farming is very important for our country's future, and ETO is a very important value for organic farming. All stakeholders involved in organic farming do not only think about profitability; we see this world as if it were our own family and protect nature and humanity just as we protect our children. Organic farming is not just a production system but, with its healing and biodiversity-protecting effects, with sustainability, a very powerful holistic system."