2. Research approach and methods
Information on the characteristics of the organic bread production chain were collected in the course of several projects on spring wheat variety testing and breeding with involvement of breeders,farmers, traders, millers and bakers conducted by the first author from 2000 to 2010. Data from an earlier study by Osman & Lammerts van Bueren [8] were used to compile criteria set by farmers,traders and millers from the organic sector and to develop a user-defined profile of organic spring wheat variety (Table 1). We approached the five most important North-Western European spring wheat breeders for interviews on breeding approach,selection criteria and priorities.