What is High Environmental Value agriculture?
Definition of High Environmental Value Agriculture
The High Environmental Value (HVE) label is a designation held by 8,218 French farms (as of July 1, 2020). Created in 2010, it may also appear on products. But what does it really mean?
High Environmental Value certification ensures that the agricultural practices used preserve the natural ecosystem. These practices must also minimize environmental impact. It is a prestigious designation for farmers.
How is it awarded?
The “High Environmental Value” certification or designation takes four areas into account:
-Preservation of biodiversity (insects, trees, hedges, grass, flowers, etc.)
-Pest Management Strategy
-Irrigation Management
-Fertilization Management
Farmers are implementing agricultural practices based, among other things, on the principles of agroecology. This involves prioritizing natural resources and mechanisms. High Environmental Value (HVE) represents the highest level in the environmental certification system.
It is important to note that this designation is subject to specific national regulations. This audit is conducted by a certification body.
What is the logo for “high environmental value” agriculture?
Here is the logo for the “high environmental value” designation. It can appear directly on raw and processed products.
What are the differences between “Organic” and “High Environmental Value”?
Here are the differences between the AB certification and the High Environmental Value certification:
- Inspections: Organic farming is subject to one inspection per year, as well as a few unannounced inspections. The “High Environmental Value” designation is subject to an inspection every three years.
- Conversion: For High Environmental Value certification, there is no conversion period; for organic farming, the conversion period is 2 years for annual crops and 3 years for perennial crops.
- Pesticides and chemical fertilizers: There is no ban on pesticides or chemical fertilizers for High Environmental Value certification. For the AB label, however, the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers is prohibited.
- Processing: There are no processing requirements for HVE. For AB, there are numerous strict rules, such as a ban on many products (color additives, flavor enhancers, etc.). Nanotechnology is also prohibited.
- Animal welfare: There are no animal welfare requirements for the HVE label. For organic farming, cages are prohibited, access to the outdoors must be mandatory, and pre-slaughter care is mandatory.
There are other important points to highlight regarding the “AB” label. In fact, organic farming is prohibited from using GMOs. It must limit its use of non-renewable resources. Finally, it encourages respect for natural cycles.
Organic and High Environmental Value: Do They Complement Each Other?
Despite their many differences, HVE and organic farming have things in common. Indeed, “organic” is a quality label governed by a set of specifications. HVE is a value-added certification that also has a set of specifications. Organic production demonstrates environmental excellence at every stage, guaranteed in particular by the implementation of practices such as the absence of GMOs or synthetic chemicals. HVE certification is achieved by meeting performance standards across the four areas discussed earlier.
Is it possible to run a farm that is both organic and HVE-certified?
A farm can certainly be both organic and HVE. In fact, despite their differences, these two approaches can complement each other. This will lead to a real improvement in the impact of agriculture on the environment.
HVE Apples
As you may have realized, there are all kinds of products labeled “HVE,” including apples. Unlike organic apples, these may contain pesticides or GMOs.
The Juliet® apple, an organic apple
The Juliet® apple is 100% organic and 100% French. Born from the collaboration of four men who wanted to revolutionize organic farming, it is exclusively organic. It is produced in accordance with numerous criteria defined in a set of specifications created for this purpose. You’ll find the AB logo on every recyclable package. Since the Juliet® apple is grown without GMOs or synthetic chemicals, you can eat its vitamin-rich skin. For your enjoyment, it is available in a range of products that are always organic and delicious, such as apple juice, sparkling apple juice, applesauce, cider, and even apple cider vinegar.
Juliet® is committed to many things: this apple variety is grown exclusively using organic methods, all of its orchards are located in France, the packaging is recyclable, and the apples are hand-picked at peak ripeness.
As mentioned earlier, all of our packaging is recyclable and eco-friendly. We firmly believe that organic production is the way to protect our agriculture, our biodiversity, and the planet as a whole.