Biofach in Nuremberg has become the world's largest trade fair for organic food with over 50.000 visitors and and 3.800 exhibitors from 110 countries. In addition to being a commercial success that has grown year after year, the fair has also become a unique place for knowledge exchange for everyone in the food chain.

Here we share trend observations and notes from three of the fair's lectures:

• Sustainable Development Goals and the link to organic
• The potential of organic agriculture and agroecology for climate change adaptation
• Trends and news of the organic market in the US
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Sustainable Development Goals and the link to organic

Organic farming contributes to 8 of the 17 global goals, including the key goals of combating climate change, ecosystems and biodiversity, and clean water, according to a report commissioned by the University of Twente in the Netherlands on behalf of IFOAM Organics International and vegetable wholesaler Eosta.

The people behind the project are Michaël Wilde and Volkert Engelsman, CEO of Eosta. During the seminar, they told how eco-organizations around the world (including Organic Sweden) participated in disseminating the report and highlighting their own examples of how organic farmers contribute to, for example, promoting healthy ecosystems, combating climate change and protecting groundwater. Download and read the report here with four examples of Swedish organic farmers who are at the forefront: Organic Agriculture and the Sustainable Development Goals

The potential of organic agriculture and agroecology for climate change adaptation

During this seminar, Adrian Müller, a researcher at FiBL, spoke about an ongoing research project where he and several colleagues are investigating the possibilities of organic farming for climate adaptation. The study is a so-called meta-analysis where researchers have compiled and analyzed the results from 37 research articles. The results indicate that ecological methods are part of the solution when it comes to both climate adaptation and resistance to extreme weather such as longer periods of dryers. Adrian Müller concluded the seminar by stating;

“These results provide a robust basis for supporting agroecological production systems and practices as promising approaches for climate change adaptation in agriculture. Organic agriculture shares many of these characteristics. ”

Trends and news of the organic market in the US

The organic food and beverage market in the United States exceeded $ 50 billion for the first time in 2018. Compared to the year before, the market grew by 6 percent, according to figures from the Organic Trade Association. During this seminar, Carlotta Mast from the New Hope Network - an American media and consulting company - talked about the trends that are shaping the American market. Some of the most central trends are:
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• Ancient wisdom - Consumers are tired of everything for processed products and therefore look for more natural products with short ingredient lists and products that are refined using classic methods such as fermentation.
• "Plant wisdom" - Alternatives to classic meat or dairy products are increasing in popularity, especially those with proven functional properties and high nutritional content.
• "Protein power" - Regardless of whether they really need it or not, many consumers today want to increase their intake of protein and the conscious target groups reward the companies that are transparent about the origin of their raw materials.
• "Coping with chaos" - Today's consumers are increasingly prioritizing time, convenience and health. The brands that succeed in combining all these three aspects in one and the same product probably have a great chance of success.
• Trust through transparency - With demands for increased transparency, more and more food companies are starting to communicate about where and how the raw materials for their products have been grown.