Two EU Projects Join Forces To Redefine Organic Farming

28 February 2026, Brussels: The Horizon Europe projects BIO² and SCALE-it are working hand in hand to help organic farming leave contentious inputs behind. From plant protection with reduced use of copper to biological parasite control and fertilisers from circular sources, BIO² is developing novel natural alternatives while SCALE-it takes further their previously developed high-TRL alternatives and introduces them to organic farms across Europe. Together, the two projects are shaping a future where organic farming is more resilient, productive, and truly sustainable. FiBL is both the project and the scientific coordinator.

Organic farming is built on the principle of working with nature, but even in this system, some long-standing practices still carry environmental costs. Two new Horizon Europe projects, BIO² and SCALE-it, are determined to change that. Both funded under the call “Increasing the availability and use of non-contentious inputs in organic farming”, they officially began in May 2025 and launched in June with kick-off meetings at their coordinating institutions: BIO² at the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) in Bologna, and SCALE-it at FiBL in Frick, Switzerland.

Shared challenges and objectives

The projects share a clear goal — to help organic farming move away from inputs that, while still permitted, can harm soil health, biodiversity, and water quality or threaten availability of drugs for securing animal and human health. Copper fungicides, antiparasitic drugs, antibiotics and fertilisers containing pesticide residues are among the most pressing challenges. Addressing these issues requires both innovation and large-scale adoption, which is why BIO² and SCALE-it are working in close partnership from the very start.

Developing bio‑based alternatives

BIO²‘s role is to design, develop, and test natural, bio-based alternatives that could replace contentious inputs without sacrificing productivity or animal welfare. This includes copper-free plant protection products that prevent fungal diseases while avoiding the soil accumulation caused by copper, biological antiparasitic treatments for livestock that cut the need for synthetic veterinary medicines, and fertilisers sourced from circular materials, free from pesticide residues but rich in essential nutrients. All innovations are developed with robust formulation and encapsulation strategies and are validated under real farming conditions across multiple European regions to ensure practical performance and scalability.

Scaling system‑level solutions

SCALE-it aims to reduce reliance on contentious inputs in organic farming – such as copper, mineral oil, fertilisers from conventional sources, antibiotics, antiparasitic drugs, Spinosad, and GMO-based or synthetic vitamins. While some alternative solutions rely on the replacement of contentious inputs by natural products alone, SCALE-it mostly applies a systems approach combining

• preventive management (e.g. Animal health and welfare planning, feeding systems, grazing strategies, insect mating disruption device, crop rotation);
• decision support systems (for plant and animal health and nutrition);
• natural products (over 7 plant protection products, medicinal plants, plant tannins, a biocontrol agent).

The consortium builds on long-standing cooperation between scientists, industry, advisory and organic farming practice to further develop non-contentious cost-effective, and scalable alternatives and to demonstrate their application.

Local Ambassadors – the cornerstone of SCALE-it

A cornerstone of the SCALE-it approach is its network of more than 65 on-farm demonstration trials across 13 countries. Led by Local Ambassadors – regional partners with strong ties to local organic farming communities – these trials serve as living laboratories where solutions are tested, validated, and refined. Local Ambassadors will also organise community events, share best practices, and gather data to assess both environmental and economic impacts of the alternatives compared to the contentious inputs.

By identifying the most effective solutions and helping them gain traction across Europe, SCALE-it bridges innovation and practice, ensuring that the alternatives it champions are effective, relevant, and ready for broad adoption. Drawing on its deep expertise in farming systems, market structures, and policy frameworks, the project ensures that these alternatives can be widely adopted, supported by advisory networks and supply chains, and aligned with the ambitions of the EU Green Deal.

A continuous collaboration and a shared vision for the future

The collaboration between the two projects is continuous and complementary. BIO²‘s trial results directly inform SCALE-it’s scaling strategies, while SCALE-it’s system-level insights shape BIO²’s research priorities. This tight feedback loop means that the transition from innovation to real-world impact can happen faster and more efficiently than if each project worked alone.

Both projects share the same long-term vision: an organic farming sector that is resilient, productive, and environmentally sound — one that protects crops, animals, and ecosystems equally. Their partnership is a model of how EU-funded initiatives can combine technical innovation and lab and fields testing with strategic scaling, creating not just solutions but systems that can transform agriculture across the continent.

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