Daily updates on whats new on the ARC website and in the CAP debate
With winter approaching fast, we’ve asked a farmer and a food writer to share some ideas and recipes for making the most of what’s growing this season. […]
The EU is in the process of changing its seed regulations, and that could be bad news for the small guy. […]
(Brussels, 22/11/2013) BEGINS The European Parliament held its final vote on Wednesday 20th November on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In voting as it did, Parliament has it intensified the failure to deliver what was supposed to be a fairer, simpler and greener agriculture policy for Europe. ”Business as usual has prevailed at 90%” said Benedikt Haerlin of NGO platform ARC2020.EU and Meine Landwirtschaft. “Unfortunately the role of the European Parliament had been to substantially cut back on the initial progress towards sustainability proposed by the European Commission. From 2014 to 2020 we will see at least as many farms being closed down within the European Union, organic farming will suffer financially, biodiversity will suffer even more and the role of the European Union in the world will continue to be a resource-sucker at the expense of the global poor and the environment.” Importantly, all amendments, some of which could have improved the proposals, were dropped and not voted on. This democratically questionable move occurred due to a change in the voting order of the overall EU budget […]
Join the demonstration for better food and better farming! […]
Food campaigners accuse five international banks of raking off more than two billion pounds […]
ARC2020 was invited to participate in the Action Forum at the 2nd Annual Global Soil Week, “Losing Ground?” […]
Largest takeover of a US firm in history consolidates global pork: so what are the details? […]
The UK all-farm average business income is GBP 47000 for the year 2012-13, according to official figures released by DEFRA. However the ministry figure includes an average of GBP 25000 for Single Payment Scheme (SPS) money, which is not directly generated on any farm. So an adjusted headline figure for earnings from farming would be GBP 22000 between those working the farm: less than the average weekly earnings for an employee in a food factory (source: National Office for Statistics). DEFRA attributes the slide to a poor growing season and difficult conditions for cropping and livestock sectors alike. Higher feed costs were blamed for a 50% fall in lowland grazing incomes (average GBP 16500), while their upland counterparts in Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) suffered a 35% drop in earnings (average GBP 19500). DEFRA concedes that both categories of farming activity lost money saying they: “…failed to make a positive return from agriculture…” Yet the ministry insists on blaming the lower exchange rate for reduced CAP receipts, as if these were a direct product of farming. […]
Will the Investor State Dispute Resolution aspect of the TTIP talks make it easier for Corporations to Sue Democratically Elected Governments? […]
Swiss banks operating worldwide are involved in the speculation of staple food to a tune of 3,6 billion Swiss Francs. Among these banks, Credit Suisse is the single largest investor in staple food. It is unacceptable that a few investors get rich at the expense of countless poor people! Swiss NGOs Bread for All and the Lenten Fund have launched an online petition and campaign video requesting Brady Dougan, the CEO of Credit Suisse to divest his bank’s investments in stable food. Everybody can sign on! Change for better is possible. As a result of citizen pressure in countries such as Belgium, Germany or the UK, banks including Deutsche Deka Bank, the DZ Bank, and BNP in France have recently pulled out of making business with food speculation. Take a look at the one minute explosive campaign video at http://www.stopp-spekulation.ch/en/and consider endorsing the petition. Everybody, whatever your nationality or residence can sign on!
ARC2020 PRESS RELEASE 25.09.2013 For immediate release Vital new Toolkit from ARC2020 on CAP reform and Rural Development A vital and timely new Toolkit on the Common Agriculture Policy and Rural Development in the EU has been released by the ARC2020 team. With political agreement on remaining CAP issues reached between the European Parliament, the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission Tuesday evening, before further urgent discussions and votes in the Parliament and Council, the timing could not be more apt for the release of thisToolkit. This working document will prove invaluable for organisations and citizens making the case for good food, good farming and better rural policies in Europe. The big issues in the CAP reform process have been examined in detail by ARC2020’s expert team and partners. From this work has come the Toolkit, the first version of which contains all of the latest CAP related developments, as well as specific proposals for how stakeholders can improve this CAP reform during the implementation stage up to mid-2014. This toolkit, which can be found of ARC2020’s website here, explains the CAP’s “when, what and how can we […]
(Brussels, 02/10/13) BEGINS On Monday the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee (COMAGRI) voted on the remaining issues on CAP reform. This follows the substantive agreement in June in Ireland and the final trilogue between Parliament, Council and Commission last week, where the Council strong-armed the Parliament into ceding its position, aided by the Commission. The committee vote still needs to be confirmed by Parliament as a whole in a plenary vote at the November session. “The co-decision procedure on CAP reform has been a long, epic process, full of delays and brinkmanship. In the end however, it also represents, unfortunately, a missed opportunity to really, radically reform the CAP. The momentum now turns to member states” Samuel Feret, ARC2020’s coordinator said. Substantial reform has been bypassed in favour of business as usual, questioning the whole notion of co-decision making and trilogue. The Council, together with anti-reform COMAGRI members opposed capping payments to even the wealthiest, while watering down greening with exemptions and loopholes and maintaining polluting and export dumping practices. Specifically The COMAGRI vote dealt with outstanding issues on DP (Direct Payments), CMO (Common Organisation of Markets), RD (Rural Development) and HZR (Horizontal Regulations). […]
Parliament rubber stamps legislation bad for citizens, rural areas and the environment, but battle continues. […]
Trilogue turns out to be a Council monologue in disappointing result for citizens. […]
The industrial, large-scale producter’s problematic claim to support local farmers and agriculture in Romania […]
Agricultural and Rural Convention