Latest from Brussels

SURe to find excuses – MEPs, Ministers & their PPPs (Persistent Pesticide Proposals)

After last week’s clear challenge to the SUR pesticide reform, this week the guns are blazing between MEPs and Commissioners pushing the reform. And in a familiar pattern in EU law-making, many Ministers are backing the business-as-usual block. Will we be reporting on the SUR until there are no more puns to be made? It seems that’s just what many politicians, with thier persistent pesticide proposals, want to enSURe. Ashley Parsons and Oliver Moore report. […]

Latest from EU Member States

Rural Realities | Succession – Passing It (All) On To The Next Generation

For farmers, succession is more than just passing on the physical farm, land and buildings. Once you build up a successful farming enterprise, how do you ensure all of that knowledge and experience is not lost? It’s a question that preoccupies all of the farmers who participated in the “Nos Campagnes en Résilience” project. Part two of a series analysing the hot topics around transition, by the “Nos Campagnes en Résilience” team. […]

Rural Resilience

Enjeux de transition | La transmission, ou le trait d’union entre les générations

En allant à la rencontre des acteurs ruraux en France, « Nos campagnes en résilience » a fait le tour des enjeux qui les préoccupent. Bien au-delà de l’aspect matériel et la transmission de leur ferme, les paysans ont à cœur le partage de toutes leurs connaissances, le savoir-faire, l’expertise de terrain qui permet la réussite de leur projet. Car, Paysan est un métier qui se vit. Deuxième partie de l’analyse thématique. Rédaction : l’équipe « Nos campagnes en résilience ». […]

Latest from the ARC network

Passing of Michael Dower, a European Englishman

Michael Dower has sadly passed away. Co-founder of the European AgriCultural Convention (EAC), which later became ARC2020, Michael stood staunchly for rural Europe, democracy, inclusion, and taking action now. His retirement marked the beginning of a fruitful career as a European convener, co-founding PREPARE and a number of other networks that punched well above their weight. Hannes Lorenzen remembers a European Englishman and friend. […]

Latest from Brussels

Pesticide Regulation too Important to Delay – Civil Society Orgs

ARC2020, along with 28 other organisations, wrote and co-signed a letter on the unacceptable delays in introducing the EU’s pesticide regulation, called SUR (Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products). Below is the full text of the letter, which was sent to Ministers for Agriculture, Environment and Health, the President of the European Parliament, AGRI and ENVI coordinators, and members of the AGRI and ENVI Committees.  […]

Latest from Brussels

Winds of Change at COP27? Agri-climate news round

The winds of winter are blowing into Europe, over in Egypt is a different wind gathering force? A wind of change? Until the 18th of November, COP27 is taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Last year’s COP in Glasgow has largely been viewed by the international community as underwhelming. So what’s going on in COP and in agri-climate news? Sometimes it’s important to follow the money… […]

Latest from EU Member States

Letter From The Farm | Looking Beyond The Farm Gate

We’re back on Ciasnocha Family Farm in Poland, where bad weather and the pressures of war in neighbouring Ukraine have made for a difficult season of haymaking. Right now many decisions are on hold as they wait for the new year and a new CAP. Meanwhile, Mateusz has had the privilege of fruitful harvests beyond the farm gate. Meeting other regenerative farmers and young entrepreneurs during a trip to the US has energised his advocacy work. […]