Latest from EU Member States

The Food Sovereignty Scandal Made in France

France has more than enough land to feed its inhabitants. Yet almost half of French farmland serves the global export trade. Food sovereignty will remain a pipe dream as long as the absurd globalised food system continues to hold sway, says a new report by Terre de Liens. The Rural Resilience project reports from the launch event in Paris. […]

Latest from key partners

Dark Matter – Phasing Peat Out Of Horticulture 

It’s a little known fact outside the growing community: peat is ubiquitous in producing the fruits and vegetables we eat. Organic and conventional systems alike rely on peat for plant propagation. This is a climate and biodiversity disaster, and alternatives have so far been thin on the ground. How is the horticulture industry dealing with the peat conundrum? Oliver Moore reports.  […]

Latest from EU Member States

How Has The CAP’s Green Architecture Changed Around Europe?

The CAP has shapeshifted significantly thanks to a series of exemptions and, crucially, a fundamental change in its regulation in 2024. But how have these changes impacted the green architecture of the policy? Here we present a collaborative article on the changes, in particular for the ‘good agricultural and environmental conditionalities’ on peatland and wetlands (GAEC 2) and on space for nature (GAEC 8). National environmental and agricultural coalitions from around Europe – from Poland, Ireland, Czechia, France, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria –  have all fed their insights into this article.  […]

Latest from key partners

Genetic Engineering and Generative AI: An Explosive Mix

The field of plant biotechnology is undergoing a profound transformation. The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is fundamentally reshaping the way genetic engineering is conducted. AI-driven genetic engineering may be vulnerable to well-known limitations of AI, such as the black box effect, hallucinations and data errors, raising concerns that plants with undesirable traits could be engineered and released into the environment. How should the EU respond? Benny Haerlin and Franziska Achterberg of Save our Seeds summarise findings of the organisation’s report When Chatbots Breed New Plant Varieties.  […]

Latest from Brussels

EU’s Competitiveness Compass – North-Pointing or are Things Heading South for Agri Policy?

Competitiveness is the key word of this new Von der Leyen Commission 2.0 – and the EU’s new ‘Competitive Compass’ is supposed to steer it onto a path towards security and economic prosperity. But far from pointing North, many see it as a sign of things heading South for the green and agricultural transition over the next 5 years. Natasha Foote breaks down what you need to know.  […]

Latest from EU Member States

WHES | “We Must Continue” – Determined Farmers & Friends Will March On

As Germany’s election season plays out, agriculture and environmental issues are notably absent from campaign agendas. Nonetheless, at Berlin’s annual Wir haben es satt protest, farmers and activists marched – without the usual tractors – demanding a food system that protects the climate, nature, animal welfare and rural communities. Hours earlier, the alliance held a final meeting with outgoing Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir. Claudia Schievelbein reports. […]

Main stories

Putting an X through X – ARC2020’s Decision on Social Media Platforms

For years, ARC2020 has relied on X (formerly Twitter) to connect with partners, amplify voices in agroecology, and foster vital conversations about rural resilience and sustainable food systems. But  the platform no longer serves as a conducive space for the kind of constructive engagement we strive for. Like many others, we have decided to leave the platform for good – and here’s why.  […]

Main stories

Who Is Actually Profiting Here? – Uniting for Common Good at #WHES25 

On Saturday January 18th, demonstrators in Berlin will take to the streets to say: “We are fed up with agri-industry!”. Ahead of the 15th annual Wir haben es satt! demo, Claudia Schievelbein of the Bauernstimme and AbL, reflects on the Weaving Common Ground gathering held in Poland last November, transition fatigue in agriculture and the need for better understanding between rural and urban areas.  […]