In part 2 of our re:CAP series we return to Christian Rehmer (BUND, Friends of the Earth Germany), Aurélie Catallo (Pour Une Autre PAC), Ulrich Jaspers (AbL and Die Verbände-Plattform) and Ariel Brunner and Harriet Bradley (BirdLife) to talk capping. What should be the level for capping and redistribution and what should be the criteria for that? […]
Here we summarise and provide links to all eight contributions to the soil matters article series. From soil and the city to no till, humus and technical articles from soil scientists, there is much in here to cause wonder, controversy and, it is hoped, greater understanding. […]
The next CAP will likely give more power to Member States which may renationalise CAP. This raises questions about EU-level enforcement. Christian Rehmer (BUND, Friends of the Earth Germany), Aurélie Catallo (Pour Une Autre PAC), Ulrich Jaspers, AbL and Die Verbände-Plattform and Ariel Brunner and Harriet Bradley (BirdLife) share their ideas. […]
On the first day on June, Guy Singh-Watson handed over almost ¾ of the business- known primarily for its organic veg box deliveries in the UK – to its employees. So why did this especially committed individual do this – and reject tens of millions of pounds in the process? And what does this mean for food system democracy? […]
New farmer Chiara Garini, fresh from learning about gastronomy and agroecology at the academic level, is trying to put some of her ideas into practice on a farm in Italy. Here she introduces her background, her studies, and the land she’s working on. Already, she has faced challenges and had to make decisions. […]
Magdalene Trapp and Sebastian Lakner simulated the potential effects of a CAP reform more oriented towards environment and biodiversity, in Bulgaria. They tested six scenarios on eight farm types, and analysed the income impact for farmers. So what did they find? […]
Here we round up some recent perspectives on the Commission’s CAP proposal. This includes a summary of the 18 months of work that went into the document(s), concern over capping backsliding, a briefing on conditionality, which member states want to keep the cash as it was, and an Urgenci (CSA) and Birdlife perspective. […]
Cian Blaix tells us about the benefits that weeds and field margins provide in agriculture. These ecosystem services provides by weeds can be divided into three categories: cultural services, provisioning services, and regulating and maintenance services. […]
With Ireland edging towards reopening its organic farming scheme – closed since 2015 to new entrants, and closed in 2014 for a year too too – the context of organic farming within the overall agri-food sector is worth exploring. What would it mean for Irish agriculture in general to have a bigger, more vibrant organic sector? Particular attention is paid to the public goods of biodiversity and water quality. […]
3 neonicotinoids – Bayer’s imidacloprid and clothianidin, and Syngenta’s thiamethoxam – will be banned from all outdoor fields on EU farms within six months. […]
Last week the European Parliament called for an EU protein strategy to reduce dependency on protein imports. What would such a strategy look like? What are the implications? Alan Matthews tweeted about it. Lots of people joined in. Oh – and what’s a boondoggle? […]
Should the EU use Tax and Policy Supports to Encourage Healthy Diets? How have sugar and fat taxes – and subsidies for fruit in schools – worked? And how integrated and health, sustainability and agri-food policies? Joost de Jong explores in the second of two parts. […]
A number of NGOs, farmer and consumer organisations have issued a joint statement in French and German, calling for a fundamental CAP reform. Read our exclusive translation. […]
ARC2020 has teamed up with Meine Landwirtschaft, Friends of the Earth Europe, Heinrich Boell Foundation, European Coordination Via Campesina, Bread for the World and Pour une autre PAC, to host European Days For Action across the continent. It’s time to get organising – join us this October to raise the alarm! […]
The Greens EFA group in the European Parliament launched their policy paper n CAP at an event on the 12th April. Land use, crop rotations and fair incomes were the main focus areas of the day long. Harriet Clayton has more. […]
Agricultural and Rural Convention