Latest from Brussels

Key EU policy-makers: Organic is a key sector to develop in Europe

Bari, Italy, 11 September 2014 – From EU to national and regional level, policy-makers and organic stakeholders agree: the EU must support the development of the organic sector across Europe to achieve a sustainable agricultural system that benefits people and planet.  “Our goal is to create a sustainable model of agriculture based on distinctiveness, competitiveness and innovation. In this context, organic farming is a strategic sector for Italy and for all Europe.” This was the message of Maurizio Martina, Italian Minister of Agriculture, at the 8th European Organic Congress currently taking place in Bari, Italy. “We are using the Italian Presidency of the European Council to tackle the proposal for a new EU regulation. Another decisive date for the entire food industry and the challenges of the future will be Expo 2015, which will be a moment of collective reflection on crucial issues such as food security.” Alina-Stefania Ujupan, Deputy Head of Cabinet for Dacian Cioloş, European Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “The organic sector has made dramatic progress in recent years, and […]

Newsflash

ARC Newsflash – September 2014

Dear friends and supporters, Welcome to our September newsletter! As Autumn and the political season kick into gear once again, we’re helping build agroecological solutions to the business as usual model of food production. Three of Arc2020’s team are out and about promoting this work in September. Samuel Feret will showcase a poster on agroecology at the FAO’s seminar in Rome; Oliver Moore is presenting abut our agroecology approach and project at the European Organic Congress in Bari, while Robert Pederson has just attended the University of Copenhagen agroecology conference.We at Arc2020 see agroecology as holistic – it encompasses not just more environmentally benign production inputs, practices and processes: it is about stronger people-nature connectivity throughout the food system. It is about shorter distribution chains. It is about science, farmers and activists coming together to do food differently, in a way which is in keeping with the carrying capacity of the planet and with the real human need for connection.Some highlights from August: Agritourism in Romania The Original CSA? exclusive Arc2020 Interview with Ryoko Shimizo of Japan’s SEIKATSU UK taps into Agroecology […]