As the dust settles after the elections, what will the Commission focus on? Which politicians have secured the key roles? Who is at the helm in shaping agricultural and environmental policy over the next 5 years? News round up from Brussels by Natasha Foote. […]
The Austrian Local Action Group (LAG) Styrian Volcanic Land (Steirisches Vulkanland) wanted to know the impacts of its local development efforts over the last quarter-century. To find out, they entrusted a team from ÖAR consultancy, assisted by students from the University of Vienna, to conduct an impact study.* Here co-author Robert Lukesch gives an insight into the background, process and findings of this pioneering research. […]
For Matthew Hayes, a flying visit to Groundswell 2024, the UK annual festival for regenerative agriculture, provides a brief period off the farm in mid-season, and a moment for reflection. There he visits his son Kristof, who is forging his own path in the regen ag space. It’s a solid grounding in shared values that led this farmer’s son to give agriculture another go – on his own terms. A father and son letter by Kristof and Matthew Hayes […]
With the dust yet to settle after the European Parliament elections, political groups are scrambling to secure top jobs in parliamentary committees. Meanwhile over at the Commission, rumours abound about the carving up of competences for food. And there’s more nail-biting voting to come… Natasha Foote brings us the inside scoop from the heart of the action. […]
How can restaurants serve more regional produce? A networking event at the Creativity and Social Innovation Hub Marburg (CIM) brought together local restaurant operators, suppliers, civil society actors and employees of the city and district to discuss this question. […]
Cycling through this beauty of soft hills, yellow-green meadows, scattered forests, small lakes, finely carpentered wooden houses, small villages with cows and horses grazing side by side, onion-crowned church-towers and cosy guest houses, you may believe that Upper Bavaria is one of those remaining paradise places where rural culture and small peasantry has survived. Letter from die Ötz farm by Hannes Lorenzen. […]
The Hungarian Environmental Social Science Research Group (ESSRG) reports on the renewed interest – and importance – of short and local distribution channels, which are better able to meet the growing demand for alternative grains in Europe. And introducing True Bread, produced by ESSRG, a beautiful documentary to tell the story of small-scale farmers, millers, and bakers in Hungary gathering to restore coherent collaboration. […]
You’ve probably heard of people extending an olive branch – perhaps less common is offering up a leek. Seeds4All digs into why the leek symbolises the struggle for seed autonomy and why the cooperation project De Vroente, based in Sint-Lievens-Esse in the Flanders region, pours so much energy into this. Report by Adèle Pautrat. […]
In Marburg, Germany kollektiv von MORGEN (the collective of TOMORROW) is working with food education activists and other food system stakeholders to develop regional communication strategies around sustainable food. Building on ideas formulated at the European Action-Gathering for Sustainable Food Systems last November, participants of a recent workshop continued to shape plans for the region. […]
This week saw an unsuccessful last-ditch attempt to push the EU’s proposal to loosen rules on gene editing over the finish line, leaving the plans on ice. Meanwhile, it’s all been Politics with a capital P as Belgium prepares to hand the presidency over to Hungary, while leaders jostle for Brussels’ top jobs and considerations start on redrawing the lines of the European Parliament’s committees – a shake up which could have big impacts on the way agriculture files are handled. Natasha Foote and Oliver Moore bring you the latest from Brussels. […]
Last minute political manoeuvres, coalition collapse and legal challenges – the Nature Restoration Law’s dramatic final showdown proved every bit as tumultuous as the rest of its path to adoption. But could the final seal of approval of this law be reversed? The answer seems to be no – and here’s why. […]
Ministers have given their final blessing to the EU’s Nature Restoration Law, marking the last milestone for the law to enter into force. But proponents shouldn’t put the champagne on ice just yet, as the law could face more legal twists in its tumultuous trajectory. Natasha Foote reports on the latest from Brussels. […]
Welcome to the gardens of St John’s monastery in the village of Anatoli, Thessaly, Greece. We bring you a heartwarming story of sharing and sufficiency, in a letter from a visit to the farm by Hannes Lorenzen. […]
In the aftermath of the European Parliamentary Elections 2024, Oliver Moore assesses what happened and what might happen next, with a farming, food and rural lens. […]
In the report that accompanies this article, CONCITO analyses the implementation of the 2023-27 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform after its first year of implementation, using Denmark as a case study. The focus lies on examining the new components of the reform, namely the New Delivery Model (NDM), the enhanced conditionality, and the eco-schemes, and their contribution towards both the European Union (EU) and national objectives concerning climate, biodiversity, and the environment. Recommendations are also made for improved delivery. […]
Agricultural and Rural Convention