Taxpayers have a right to demand value for money from agricultural subsidies. But does this merit placing farmers under continuous surveillance? Farmers can struggle to reap the benefits of new digital tools that add to rather than ease their workload. Czech farmer Terezie Daňková relates her experience with the demands of the new digital order, and proposes an intergenerational solution. […]
The European Commission launched a proposal to deregulate a large number of plants manufactured using new genetic techniques. Biotech firms seem to have succeeded in convincing the European Commission that we need new genetically modified crops to tackle climate change. They argue that by enhancing crops’ resistance to drought or improving their ability to capture carbon, climate change may no longer seem such a daunting challenge. If this seems too good to be true, unfortunately, it is. […]
To set clear directions for responsible digitalisation in agriculture, the CAP and the Farm-to-Fork Strategy should integrate a new policy target aimed at substantially increasing the current low share of EU farmers engaged in other gainful activities connected to the farm to at least 25% by 2030. Dr. Matteo Metta shares findings from his Ph.D. research on digitalisation and on-farm diversification. […]
In early November, the Rural Resilience project was proud to support the European Action-Gathering for Sustainable Food Systems. This meeting of over 100 food systems actors working at local, regional, national and European levels was co-organised by ARC2020 and local partners Kollektiv von Morgen and AbL in Marburg, Germany. Report by Louise Kelleher of the Rural Resilience project. […]
The project CAP Strategic Plans co-organised by ARC2020 with the Good Food Good Farming network is now completing its fourth year since its launch in 2020. 2023 can be seen as the end of a policy reform cycle and beginning of a new one for the Common Agricultural Policy, aka CAP. Just recently, the Commission published its main takeaways and conclusions on the joint effort and collective ambition of the CAP Strategic Plans 2023-2027 (CSPs). Read our report. […]
What actually unfolds in the Danish land-market is clouded in secrecy. At the heart of the matter is the lack of a ownership-register or monitoring entity, which could provide clarity and transparency as to who actually owns the Danish agricultural land. […]
Despite suffering an outright rejection by the European Parliament, the EU’s plan to slash the use and risk of pesticides in half by 2030 may not be a dead duck just yet as EU ministers set out plans to continue work on their side of the file. But how would that work in practice? Natasha Foote brings you the latest on the file. […]
EU agriculture ministers have failed to find a position on the EU’s plans to loosen the rules on the use of genetic editing technologies, despite a concerted push from those at the helm of the rotating EU presidency. So what does this mean in practice? Natasha Foote brings you the latest from Brussels. […]
Next week, all eyes are on two key votes which will steer the future direction of the EU’s plans to loosen the rules governing new GMOs (aka new genetic technologies, or NGTs). Meanwhile, the European Commission finally put forward a slimmed down version of its animal welfare ‘package’ and lawmakers decided to exempt cattle from its plans to slash industrial emissions. Natasha Foote brings you up to speed in the latest goings on and the fun to come in Brussels. […]
The European Commission has announced that it will officially launch its strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture – proposed as a way to bridge the divide in the agrifood sector – in January. Meanwhile the Ag Commissioner already has a big idea – a 3rd Pillar of the CAP. So what’s the scope of this dialogue? And what’s this about a new CAP Pillar? Natasha Foote brings you up to speed with the latest on what we know so far. […]
How can French Regional Nature Parks bring to life sustainable land planning concepts? Geoparcs that protect and promote natural wonders is one avenue, and the same reigns true for National Parks. More on these islands of resilience. […]
Indoor farming is a growth area, proposed as a solution for a number of problems in the agri-food system. So what is it, and how do we separate the spin from the substance? Andrea Beste with more. […]
On November 28, in collaboration with SEED Luxemburg and the Greens/EFA, the Seeds4All project took part in the organisation of a conference at the European Parliament on the future of seeds. Delving into the heart of the matter, the main aim of the event was to spotlight the specific voices and urgent demands of artisan seed producers in the context of the reform of the European legislative framework applicable to the sale and exchange of seeds. […]
Parliament is leaning towards loosening the rules on New Genetic Technologies. What would change? NGT plants in ‘category 1’ (an estimated 94%) would be considered equivalent to conventionally bred plants. Marianne Landzettel reports on the state of play on both sides of the Atlantic. […]
The European Parliament’s environment committee has given its blessing on the final shape of the EU’s nature restoration law, moving it one step closer to sealing a final deal on the landmark law once and for all. How did we get to here? What happened in the environment committee? And what’s next? Natasha Foote reports. […]
Agricultural and Rural Convention