New leader named for organic research in Europe

Europe’s Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) recently named a new president, Beate Huber, according to a news release from the group, which is based in the EU capital Brussels.

Urs Niggli, the long-standing Director of FiBL Switzerland, has retired and resigned as president of FiBL Europe, according to the news release. FiBL Europe coordinates the joint activities of its member organizations and facilitates cooperation with the institutions of the European Union and its partner organizations at a European level.

“It was a bold step to start out as a small research, training and consulting institute in Brussels,” Niggli said in the news release. “However, the European Commission, as well as the public and private institutions and lobby groups that are active in Brussels, have reacted positively. After all, a position which is both scientifically sound and committed to organic farming is in high demand.”

The members of the Board of FiBL Europe thanked Urs Niggli for his impressive commitment to FiBL Europe, an institute that has rapidly become a major player in organic farming.

Knut Schmidtke, director of FiBL Switzerland, emphasized that by electing Beate Huber as president, FiBL Europe had gained a strong leader for this position, who is very competent, widely recognized and has excellent international networks in organic agriculture.

“Under her leadership, FiBL Europe will become an even stronger advocate for its member organizations in Europe, coordinating the acquisition and administration of research and development projects,’ said Robert Hermanowski, director of FiBL Germany and vice president of FiBL Europe.

Beate Huber said that the ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy and the goal of achieving 25% organic farming has set an important milestone for Europe.

“It is very important that we position ourselves as FiBL so that we will contribute to the successful implementation of this strategy together,” she said. “I am looking forward to this task.”

In addition to her presidency, she will continue to perform her duties at FiBL Switzerland as head of the Department for International Cooperation and as the representative for corporate culture.