Dear friends and supporters
Here at ARC2020 we are busy finalising preparations for a farm to arrive in central Paris. The two day event – Ferme à Paris – will involve markets, documentaries, debates, music and animals. It will also provide a chance to meet farmers and organisations that are campaigning for a green, fair and local CAP! It is being organised by ARC2020, La Confédération paysanne and PAC2013. It kicks off today on 31 May and continues until 1 June. Find out more on the official website (in French), or on ARC2020.
This weekend, ARC2020 will also be involved in a third ‘guerrilla gardening’ event in Berlin. Taking place on International Children’s Day, people are once again being invited to join us in the rolling of seeds balls: small plantable balls made out of seeds, soil and clay. Once made, they can be dropped across cities as the seeds within them remain protected until they reach a spot suitable for them to sprout. Find the event on facebook, or learn more about the initiative on the Good Food Good Farming website. Berlin is also anticipating the arrival of Europe’s milk farmers. On 3 – 4 June, the European Milk Board is organising a demonstration in front of Angela Merkel’s office.
Elsewhere this month, ARC2020 was one of 24 organisations to sign a common letter to EU Commissioner for Health and Consumers – Tonio Borg. The letter, written by the UK-based networks Compassion in World Farming, the Soil Association and Sustain, is calling on the Commissioner to urgently reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock production.
Once the farm in Paris has closed its doors, we will be turning our attention to another event taking place in Europe this summer: the ‘Farms not Factories’ Action Camp in Wietze, Germany. Being organised by the ‘Wir haben es Satt’ team, their very first summer action will take place from 30 August to 1 September. Save the date and find out more in the campaign section below!
Hope summer has arrived where you are…
Kate Mann
ARC2020 Communications Manager
