Smarties.bio takes part in the final exhibition of the European LiveSeeding project, bringing together research, biodiversity and new seed policies
On 10 June 2026, the L42 Conference Centre on Rue de la Loi, in the heart of Brussels, hosted the final conference of the European LiveSeeding project, “Change Seeds, Grow the Difference”. The event brought four years of Innovation Action dedicated to improving and promoting organic plant reproductive material across Europe to a close, bringing together more than 100 participants, including researchers, seed producers, breeders, representatives of the European Commission, a Member of the European Parliament and civil society organisations.
For Smarties.bio, it was also a special day: our radicchio varieties were featured in the project’s final exhibition, alongside the results of other leading organisations in the European organic sector. We are proud of this achievement, which confirms that our day-to-day work in seed selection is part of a broader movement that sees biodiversity as a key to the future of agriculture.
Towards 100% organic seed: progress and challenges still ahead
The day opened with an overview of the project’s scientific results, presented by LiveSeeding scientific coordinators Monika Messmer and Mariateresa Lazzaro (FiBL Switzerland), followed by a session focusing on the current state of organic seed use in Europe.
Speakers including Freya Schäfer (FiBL Germany), Stéphanie Klaedtke (ITAB) and Judith De Roos-Blokland (Bejo) highlighted how progress towards 100% organic seed use remains uneven across crop sectors and Member States, and depends on seed availability, seed health and the effectiveness of national coordination mechanisms. Representatives from France (INAO) and Italy (CREA) presented practical tools such as databases and systems designed to connect seed supply and demand, while Patrizia Pitton (DG AGRI, European Commission) outlined the next steps needed to achieve greater harmonisation and support the gradual phase-out of derogations.
Innovation in breeding, Living Labs and crop biodiversity
The afternoon session focused on the dynamic management of plant genetic resources and participatory breeding. Mariateresa Lazzaro (FiBL) explained how the Living Labs established across Europe have successfully connected plant breeding with local food systems and regional value chains. Isabelle Goldringer (INRAE) highlighted the role of organic heterogeneous material and composite populations in increasing crop resilience and local adaptation, while Marc Lateur (CRA-W) presented the work of the sister project InnOBreed on perennial crops and the European Collaborative Charter for Organic Fruit Breeding.
A dedicated session explored the role of municipalities in bringing crop biodiversity closer to citizens. María Carrascosa (Red de Municipios por la Agroecología) presented the Granollers Manifesto and the growing network of pioneering cities integrating crop biodiversity into local food policies. Federica Pacini (Municipality of Scandicci) and Véronique Chable (INRAE) shared experiences of long-term participatory approaches bringing together local authorities, researchers and farming communities, while Francesca Gori (Rete Semi Rurali) presented the key factors behind successful Living Labs.
Policy perspectives for the future of the sector
The closing roundtable addressed the policies needed to ensure that organic seeds and breeding can truly develop. Member of the European Parliament Camilla Laureti (S&D) stressed the importance of concluding the trilogue negotiations on the PRM Regulation, calling for simpler certification procedures and greater support for farmers and rural areas. Eric Gall (IFOAM Organics Europe) highlighted the sector’s need for regulatory stability and predictability, while Monika Messmer (FiBL) expressed the hope that the research efforts launched through LiveSeeding will continue beyond the end of the project. The event was brought to a close by Edwin Nuijten, the newly elected President of ECO-PB, who recalled that organic breeding must embrace diversity rather than follow a one-size-fits-all approach.
The final exhibition: Smarties.bio among Europe’s leading organisations
The conference concluded with an exhibition showcasing the results of LiveSeeding’s Living Labs and those of the project’s partner organisations: products from Floriddia Farm, ancient wheat varieties from ÖMKi, participatory buckwheat breeding by INRAE and its partners, rare varieties from ProSpecieRara and Sativa Rheinau and, last but not least, our Smarties.bio radicchio varieties. A lively Raw Bar was set up in the conference hall, with all participants invited to take part in an interactive live evaluation through the SeedLinked app. The day ended on a musical note with a concert by the Chorale Equinox.
Looking to the future, together
The previous day, Tuesday 9 June, also in Brussels, the European Conference on Financing Organic Seeds, “Grow the Difference and Scale It”, had taken place from 15:00 to 17:30, followed by a networking cocktail until 18:30. The conference laid the groundwork for the discussions of the final day. Across the two days, one shared message emerged clearly among participants: building resilient agricultural and food systems requires innovation and collaboration, as well as supportive public policies and greater public and private investment in organic plant breeding.
Beyond its scientific results, what LiveSeeding leaves behind is above all the network built over these four years among researchers, breeders, policymakers, farmers and seed companies like ours: a community that will continue working for innovation and sustainability in European agriculture well beyond the lifetime of the project.
For us at Smarties.bio, having been part of this journey, with our varieties exhibited in Brussels alongside those of other organisations that share the same vision, confirms that seed quality and agricultural biodiversity truly are the roots from which the future of agriculture can grow, in Italy and throughout Europe.