Launch of the "bioregional meeting point!" on 11 March in Münster

Think tank at the "bioregional!" meeting point of the Münsterland eco-model region

Sharing and networking, discussing and cooperating, participating and thinking ahead: all of this was the focus of the "bioregional meeting point!" of the Münsterland eco-model region, the kick-off event of which took place on Monday (11 March) in Münster. Around 140 guests from regional companies in the food and nutrition industry, politics and other multipliers were in attendance, as well as Silke Gorißen, Minister of Agriculture and Consumer Protection for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. She opened the meeting and at the same time gave the starting signal for the new series of events organised by the business network of the Münsterland eco-model region.

Minister Silke Gorißen: "North Rhine-Westphalia has been committed to the expansion of organic farming for many years. We are pursuing a holistic approach, from producers to retailers to consumers. This is why we have set up five organic model regions in North Rhine-Westphalia as a new funding programme. In these regions, we are focussing on the development of bio-regional value chains in order to simplify cooperation between businesses in the production and trade of organic food and to improve networking. This benefits the entire regional agriculture and food industry. We can see how well this can work here in the Münsterland organic model region. I am delighted that new ideas and projects are being worked on together here to increase both the cultivation and sales of local organic products."

The aim of the business network of the Münsterland organic model region is to bring together the players along the organic value chain in the Münsterland: from agriculture to processing, trade and out-of-home catering.

"The Münsterland was already pulling in the same direction when applying to become a model eco-region. Since then, the project has built up a network distributor with over 700 contacts and thus contributed to new sales channels for Münsterland products - such as a bioregionally filled picnic box or the finish catering for 1000 athletes at the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro. The launch of 'Treffpunkt bioregional!' is the next milestone," emphasised Dr Olaf Gericke, spokesman for the Münsterland district councillors and District Administrator of the Warendorf district, during the welcome address. "In this creative round, new ideas and projects emerge that increase sales of regional organic products and incentivise farmers to switch to organic farming."

The "Treffpunkt bioregional!" series of events is organised by the joint project Öko-Modellregion Münsterland. The four districts of Münsterland and the city of Münster are working together with the NRW Chamber of Agriculture and the LEADER regions. Under the leadership of Münsterland e.V., the project aims to increase the proportion of bioregionally produced products in the fields, on supermarket shelves, on canteen plates and in shopping baskets.

The Münsterland eco-model region was selected as part of a funding competition organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection (MLV) NRW in 2021, with the state of NRW covering 80 per cent of the costs of eco-regional management, up to a maximum of 80,000 euros per year for an initial period of three years.

"With our business network, we want to create a sense of unity for joint value creation in the Münsterland and motivate interested parties to get actively involved," emphasised Juliane Rabe, project manager at Münsterland e.V. "In this way, we want to arouse broad interest in organic products from the Münsterland from the farm to the supermarket and into the kitchen and thus support the region on its way to more bioregionality - collectively and future-oriented," added Rabe.

At the same time, she presented further successes of the Münsterland organic model region: for example, a new supply chain between an organic farm from Tecklenburg and the LWL Clinic in Lengerich, the participation of kitchens in the "Coaching Programme" as part of the MLV initiative "NRW cooks with organic" and the associated fully booked networking events in May and December. The project also supports kitchens on their way to using more bioregional ingredients and interviewed numerous businesses about the bioregional product range in Münsterland.

In the panel discussion in Münster, Michael Radau, CEO of SuperBioMarkt (Münster), Lucas Fockenbrock, Managing Director of the start-up Ährenbrüder (Telgte) and Sabina Pohla, Head of Inclusive Businesses at the German Red Cross in the Borken district, discussed the cultivation of bioregional products and their availability on supermarket shelves, organic ingredients in canteens and cafés and the value of a strong business network.

In the subsequent workshop phase, the participants exchanged views on the topics of "logistics of regional organic products" and "networking in community catering" - in line with the aim of identifying and closing gaps in the bioregional value chain with the help of the business network. They talked about the journey of organic jam from the farm to the supermarket, the visibility of the Münsterland product range and the challenge for canteens to cook with bioregional ingredients.

In future, the "Treffpunkt bioregional!" wants to offer various events such as excursions and workshops in order to follow up and implement the new ideas and provide an opportunity for networking.

Klaus Ehling, Chairman of Münsterland e.V., emphasised: "The event is encouraging and shows that there is a lot going on in Münsterland: In Münsterland, despite the still low proportion of organic farming, there are numerous motivated businesses, initiatives and associations that are actively involved or would like to become involved in the Münsterland eco-model region business network. With a view to sustainability and climate protection, a positive development of the organic quota is essential for THE GOOD LIFE in our region."

Further information on the event and the Münsterland eco-model region can be found at www.oekomodellregionen.nrw.de