Buizer Advice is the initiator and organizer of Organicseeds.nl, the business network of prominent Dutch nurseries and traders who bring high quality seeds and plants and seedlings for organic vegetable crops on the market. These include vegetable seeds, herb seeds, flower seeds, bulbs of different varieties as well as propagating material for fruit trees, avenue trees, shrubs, ornamental plants and forest and hedging plants.
These companies have plant varieties in their programme that are successful in the organic market. They are also continuously working on new varieties which, as regards taste and quality, comply with consumer requirements and which do well under organic cultivation circumstances. With this, Dutch growers are anticipating market developments both within and outside of Europe.
Objectives of Organicseeds.nl
Objective 1: Optimum harmony between the supply and demand of high-quality organic propagating material.
Objective 2: a constant and clear picture of the demand for organic propagating material and the market-oriented cultivation and multiplication of organic and biodynamic propagating material of Dutch nurseries and traders for (potential) organic growers and traders from both home and abroad.
The opinion article by J. C. Zadoks (whom I still tend to call my professor) in the most recent edition of Gewasbescherming, the newsletter of the Royal Netherlands Society of Plant Pathology (KNPV) was the extra push I needed to write this article. It were especially the last lines of his text: “Who knows the answers to the big questions? What can change under the influence of the Corona-epidemic. I don’t know the answer.”, which increased the urge to write this article to such an extend that it is now in front of you.
"Our future food can only be Soil Food, based on a healthy soil, and the farmer who produces this is the doctor of the future, who will heal the earth"
On September 14, 2016, the inaugural meeting of the campaign People 4 Soil was held in the Netherlands. This is a European Citizens’ Initiative for specific legislation on soil protection.
The meeting was organized by the Dutch Sustainable Food Supply Foundation and was held at EOSTA / Nature and More, which previously launched the international campaign called ‘Save our Soils’.
Report survey and workshop (BioVak Zwolle):
“Local varieties; the right variety - location - grower concept”
Bertus Buizer & Kitty de Jager, December 2012
Breeding of crops, among other things led to increased production, more uniformity, mechanisation and “global” varieties with outstanding performance. At the same time we face al loss of biodiversity, increased pressure on the environment and higher levels of pests and diseases in our crops.
This leads to great opportunities for example for breeders to breed “local” next to their “global” varieties. Varieties developed in and for a specific region!! These will be better adapted to local conditions (soil, climate, etc.), better to grow in balance with their environment and therefore less polluting. A “local” variety, produced in his own region by organic growers, gives the region its own face. A “local” variety is also attractive to local consumers and strengthens the connections within the region.
From concept to reality:
The implementation of the concept raises some important questions:
• How do we fill in this beautiful picture and make it reality?
• How can this be achieved efficiently and with limited resources?
• How can we combine organic farming experience, new breeding techniques and knowledge, genetic resources and consumer's wishes?
• How can a grower determine which variety suits best in his situation?
• How can a breeder obtain data about his varieties under many varying conditions in different areas?
About all this, Kitty de Jager and Bertus Buizer exchanged ideas with growers, breeders and consumers. First this has been done by a survey, which was held in November and December 2011. Secondly, everyone could give their feedback during their workshop, during the BioVak, the 18th and 19th of January 2012 in Zwolle.
Results of the survey:
At the beginning of 2011 the survey had been send to both organic and conventional growers and breeders. They were asked to fill in some questions about the availability of varieties and their willingness to participate in trails. Read more ....
Photo: Bertus Buizer in own private garden with organic apples in the background
Source: Buizer Advies
Large and convenient Breeding Square at BioVak 2011
On an attractive and convenient Breeding Square with a large number of companies, many Dutch nurseries and traders in the plant sector have shown their varieties, which are of great importance to the national and international organic market.
Participants of the Breeding Square Organicseeds.nl offered high-quality propagating material to visitors from home and abroad. They work always to new varieties, which with regard to
taste and quality meet the demands of modern consumers within and outside Europe and which comply well with organic growing conditions.
The Dutch nurseries and traders who participate also in the network of prominent Dutch nurseries and traders produce organic propagating material including the following crops:
Vegetables (covered and open cultivation): Leaf vegetables, tomatoes, sweet peppers, carrots, beetroots, cabbage crops, cucumbers, pumpkins Arable crops: potatoes, sowing onions, set onions, shallots, garlic, cereals, grasses. Medicinal herbs. Fodder crops. Green manuring crops. Fruits: Apples, pears. Soft fruit. Parkland trees and avenue trees.
Shrubs. Ornamental plants: Tulip bulbs, flowers, garden plants.
Organicseeds.nl and BioVak'10 in Organics Special 2009 of AgroPress
BioFach 2009
From 19-22 February 2009 the World Organic Trade Fair BioFach has taken place in Nuremberg (Germany).
Organicseeds.nl represented the participating Dutch nurseries and traders. They can provide high-quality propagating material for a large number of varieties for the biological field and horticultural crops and nursery products for organic fruit, avenue or park trees and ornamental plants.
Stand of Organicseeds.nl at BioFach in Nürnberg (Germany), February 19-22, 2009
BioVak 2009
On Wednesday, January 21 and Thursday, January 22 the BioVak 2009 has taken place in the IJsselhallen at Zwolle (Netherlands) with over 150 exhibitors. This leading trade fair for organic agriculture, nature, food quality and distribution has been opened by Her Royal Highness, Princess Margriet. There were more than 5.000 visitors, mainly farmers and cattle breeders. On the BioVak there was also a Breeding Square, where 16 Dutch nurseries and traders provided information about their varieties for organic crops. The visitors of the Breeding Square could also participate in tastings.
The Breeding Square and tastings had been organized by Buizer Advies in the context of Organicseeds.nl. So did the workshop on "New varieties for new concepts”, which took place in addition to the Breeding Square and attracted a great deal of attention.
Her Royal Highness, Princess Margriet, at the tastings on the Breeding Square
Dr. Vandana Shiva
