Legal Framework for Ensuring the “Digital Maturity” of Agriculture as a Key Sector of the Economy: Family Entrepreneurship in Organic Production

Abstract

Introduction: the digitalization of organic agriculture is a multifaceted process that affects the technological, economic, and legal spheres. For family farms, which are the foundation of sustainable rural development, the introduction of digital technologies can open up new horizons. However, small farms face specific challenges in the process of digital transformation. The purpose of this article is to analyze the current issues faced by family farms in the context of the digital transformation of organic agriculture in Russia as well as to propose legal and institutional mechanisms to address the challenges identified through this analysis. Methods: the study employed comparative legal, formal-logical, and dialectical methods, as well as the method of legal modeling. Results: the article proves the expediency of legislative solutions promoting the development of organic farming. It substantiates the need to supplement Federal Law No. 280-FZ of August 3, 2018, "On Organic Products and on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation," with a special article that would establish state measures aimed at stimulating and supporting the introduction of digital technologies in organic agriculture in Russia. It is also recommended that the Land Code of the Russian Federation be supplemented with a provision taking into account the specific features of land plots where organic products are grown, as these should not be adjacent to conventional agricultural plots. The authors substantiate the proposal to amend Article 79 of the Land Code of the Russian Federation with the indication that organic land plots are a type of highly valuable productive agricultural lands subject to special protection. The study also identifies a number of legal and institutional mechanisms facilitating the successful digitalization of organic agriculture. Conclusions: there has been established a basic legal framework for organic production in Russia, which enables the country to pursue a policy of supporting innovation in the agricultural sector. However, there is still much work to be done to integrate digital tools into the practices of family farms.