3- INTEGRATED PRODUCTION IN BELGIUM In Belgium, the legal starting point of integrated production is on the one hand the Flemisch law of 1996, particularly focusing on pomefruit (apples and pears). see: http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=2 003021348&table_name=loi (only availabe in Dutch). For the Wallonian part of the country, there is the “Arrêté du Gouvernement wallon du 29 avril 2004 relatif à l’agrément de la méthode de production intégrée pour fruits à pépins, des organismes de contrôle ainsi que des producteurs qui pratiquent cette méthode”. See : http://agriculture.wallonie.be/apps/spip_wolwin/article.php3?id_article=87 (in French). The requirements for integrated production have since years been included in the quality system GIQF (Gestion Intégrale de la Qualité de la Filière) of Vegaplan. see : http://www.vegaplan.be/index.php?id=226&L=2 . Considering the changes in European legislation related to crop protection (IPM), it is expected that modifications will be made in the coming months to the GIQF standard as to allow producers to comply to the legislation by means of the GIQF certificate. In that way, the future of the current legal systems for pomefruit will have to evolve.
A new collective sustainability label in 2012 Responsibly Fresh the collective label for sustainable development is an initiative from the Association of Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives (VBT) for fruit and vegetables. see: www.responsibly-fresh.com Only producers and cooperatives that have shown efforts with regards to various aspects and a sustainability criteria can use this label. To be able to use the label, they have to meet strict requirements. To date, the following participating cooperatives are: Belgische Fruitveiling BFV, Coöbra, Limburgse Tuinbouwveiling LTV, Mechelse Veilingen, REO Veiling, Veiling Borgloon, Veiling Hoogstraten, et LAVA avec le label de qualité Flandria. Plus d’infos To do this, local producers of fruits and vegetables and their cooperatives aim for: An economically responsible crop and marketing of quality products; Optimal use of production means and limiting unwanted side effects Respect for social and health aspects. Traders and consumers who buy and consume products bearing this label are thereby signing up to, as well as stimulating, the search for sustainability in the fruit and vegetable sector. General Rules Responsibly Fresh producers have their choice of quality systems that are strictly adhered to in their daily practice. Producer cooperatives set up a four-year plan that includes collective achievements and perspectives with regard to an entire list of sustainability criteria. Each producer cooperative have signed up to a Sustainable Business Charter, as offered and monitored by an external organization. Among the four themes where improvements will be developed, integrated production can be found. AREFLH, Asembly of European Regions producing Fruit, Vegetable and Ornamental plants
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