Government Development Programme for the Organic Product Sector and Objectives to 2020.

This Development Programme for the Organic Product Sector is a nationwide sectoral document included in the Finnish Agricultural Policy of 2011 that, among others, aims at increasing the production of organic and local food. Purpose of this the development programme is (i) to increase organic production; (ii) diversify the range of organic products available; and (iii) improve the access to organic produce in retail stores and professional kitchens. One particular key area in the development is the attractiveness of organic livestock production with the aim of increasing the efficiency in the processing, marketing and export of organic products, so that to improve the opportunities for smallscale food processing and sales.
In order to make agriculture more productive and sustainable, the Development Programme envisages (i) that institutional kitchens and catering services purchase organic, vegetarian and seasonal foods so that 20% of the food offered in public catering is organic by 2020 and (ii) the development of the organic livestock production.
To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the Government aims to (i) allocate necessary funding to commitments to organic production; (ii) develop conditions for investment aid and ease environmental permit procedure for livestock building; (iii) develop advice on food legislation and good practices to small enterprises; (iv) develop collection and distribution through producer cooperation; (v) promote the creation of companies manufacturing organic foods; and (vi) revise the procedure for organic collection areas.
As for the Governance, the implementation of this Ddevelopment Programme for the Organic Product Sectors will take place within the Government decisions on spending limits and the State budget funding by reallocating the available resources. The funds are also used for implementing specific application procedures for projects concerning local and organic food.