The UK offers little support for organic food and farming compared with its European neighbours, according to a new report from the Soil Association.

The news comes in the same week that Natural England announced it is cutting its organic conversion information service.

In its report, The Lazy Man of Europe, the Soil Association described UK governments as "diffident, if not lazy" in their support for and investment in organics in comparison with the majority of European countries.

"When it comes to thinking in a truly sustainable way about the future of food and farming, successive UK governments have preferred to sit back and snooze, doing very little to back the organic sector," it said.

According to the report, the UK saw a drop in sales of organics as a result of the recession, whilst other large markets in Europe such as Austria, Denmark, France, Germany and Switzerland all saw the market grow in 2009.

The Soil Association has offered a list of recommendations for the UK government, including welcoming the organic market as an important growth area for the UK economy, introducing a cross-departmental food strategy to recognise the role of organic farming in a resource-restrained world, the department of health should advise consumers to eat local, seasonal, organic food and the government should endorse the Food for Life catering mark and ensure public food procurement meets its silver standard and should match-fund any generic organic promotional initiatives.

But any greater commitment to the organic sector still seems a long way off with Natural England’s announcement that OCIS will close at the end of next month. Organic Farmers & Growers ceo Ricahrd Jacobs said: “Only this week we have seen UK organics described as the poor man of Europe. It is decision such as this which are causing that situation and we need more planning and fewer short-sighted cuts.”

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