3 FARMERS. 3 CONTINENTS. 3 PERSPECTIVES.
Speakers Tours will raise awareness of the global isses linked to the CAP. Farmers from different corners of the world will travel to Europe to share their experiences and meet those responsible for decisions that effect their livelihoods.
The first tour is taking place from 18th June to 1st July 2012 (full program coming soon)
For more information please contact campaign@arc2020.eu
The speakers…
The impact of the CAP in Africa
Hellen Yego will explain the direct and indirect impacts of the CAP on their farms and local markets. They will explain the true cost of imports of subsidized meat and milk and highlight the impact of landgrabbing and corporate investments. Instead, they request support for agro-ecological smallholder innovation and fair trade cooperation.
Lessons from the heartlands of industrial agriculture
Joe Borgerding – a dairy farmer from Minnesota will present the state of farming in the US and solutions that he has put into practice. Topics will include monocultures and factory farming, maize and soybean deserts, concentration of power along the food chain, empty processed fast food, agrofuels and commodities, deserted rural regions. The goal is to raise awareness about the dangerous model of industrial farming, and provides a vision for alternatives.
Joe’s farm started transitioning to bio-logical in 1996, after reading books by Dr Albrecht, and attending meetings on sustainable agriculture. By 2004, their herd of holstiens was certified Organic. Joe farms with his wife and 3 children, milking 160 rotationally grazed cows, and all their young. Besides their 680 acres, they also rent some land, and do some custom planting, chopping, and combining for neighbours. His hobbies are farming, and reading (about farming).
A European Perspective
Sieta van Keimpema from the European Milk Board will provide a European input.
The European Milk Board lobbies for milk producers in Europe. The Board has members in 14 European countries, representing about 100,000 milk producers. They stand for forward-looking, sustainable milk production in every region of Europe that enables farmers to earn a decent living from their labour.
