Agri-industry Archives - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Sustainable Food Systems Law – EU Food Policy Coalition’s Recommendations for a Meaningful Transition

April 25, 2023 ARC

As the European Commission prepares for the launch of its proposal on the Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) Legislative Framework in late September, the EU Food Policy Coalition has published a joint report laying out clear policy recommendations for the SFS Law to ensure a meaningful transition to sustainable food systems across the European Union. Summary and report to download here. […]

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Ukraine Joining the EU – An Elephant in the Room

April 3, 2023 ARC

If Ukraine joins the European Union, and the current Common Agricultural Policy system of per hectare payments remains untransformed, oligarch-run conglomerates could become eligible for tens of millions of euros in taxpayer money. But this is not the only possible agricultural reality in an enlarged EU. There are farmers, researchers, civic initiatives and officials – like the delegates of Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region who visited Low Saxony in March 2023 – exploring ways to rebuild and reorient the country’s farming and food system in times of war. […]

CAP, the Commission and Livestock Supports – Money Matters

March 17, 2023 ARC

There is a perception that, when it comes to the farming end of the agri-food system, CAP is primarily about supporting land owners and family farms. Is this the case? And even if so, does the Commission sometimes use the basic underpinnings of CAP to gloss over what are in fact significant, embedded supports for the most intensive end of the farming systems, including livestock? What does this mean for other producers? We attended a webinar on livestock recently, and these questions came to the fore. […]

Excerpt | Arche Noah report on EU Seed Marketing Reform

March 3, 2023 ARC

In preparation of the Commission’s expected proposal for a new seed marketing legislation on June 7th, here we republish with permission an excerpt from the recent Arche Noah report called EU reform of seeds marketing rules: Which seeds for a just transition to agroecological and sustainable food systems? Th e full report delves into the details on the legislative process; here we introduce the general content with an excerpt on diverse seeds and on the EU seed market as it is. […]

France | Pesticides, PDOs & Plenty of Spin at Salon de l’Agriculture 2023

March 1, 2023 Matteo Metta

Running since 1964, the Salon International de l’Agriculture in Paris is a microcosm of the knotted landscape around French agriculture. Visiting it for one day gives just a flavour of the much larger diversity, longer history, and deeper issues of this sector so important for French identities in France and Europe. We visited the 2023 opening day, curious to meet people, understand what is exhibited and what is not, and how. Here are our main takeaways. Photo reportage by Matteo Metta. […]

“CAP is an Aberration in terms of Climate & Environmental Impact of Ag”

February 27, 2023 Hannes Lorenzen

This weekend the Salon de l’Agriculture kicked off in Paris. Beyond the romanticised picture of farming presented at big agri-food fairs like this, the food and farming system shows no sign of change. So it is with the new CAP, which locks in unsustainable agricultural practices while eroding European cohesion. Carbon farming, offered as a solution, will change nothing in substance. Plus ça change, argues ARC2020 President Hannes Lorenzen in an Op-Ed for Le Monde. […]

Busy in Brussels: Carbon Farming, SUR reform and New GMOs

February 9, 2023 Ashley Parsons

In this week’s EU roundup, we’re covering the launch of a new report on the Commission’s carbon farming proposal, the EU Food Forum discussion on the SUR reform, and the 400k petition for regulating New Genomic Techniques. […]

Protest, Pesticides and the Parliament – European news round up

January 23, 2023 Ashley Parsons

Citizens voices are making noise in early 2023: Jan 21, in Berlin 10,000 turn up to march for a green, social agricultural future. And on Jan 19th, the EU Court of Justice announced the end of exceptions on the use of bee-killing neonicotinoids. Will the momentum spill over into the January 24th hearing at the EU Parliament? The Save Bees and Farmers citizens initiative will be presented and Members EU Commission Reps invited to exchange. […]

soup and talk meeting about agri-food Berlin

Five Talks to Catch at Soup & Talk 2023 – this Saturday 21st January

January 18, 2023 ARC

Soup & Talk – an event that celebrates food and farming changemakers all over the world – takes place on Saturday, January 21 from 4 – 7 pm CET. People working for fair and ecological food systems will present their successes, struggles and ideas in 5-minute interventions at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin. In person and livesteam options. So what’s happening? […]

COP out – all eyes on 19th Dec as Council aims to derail Pesticide Regulation (SUR)

December 16, 2022 ARC

As Ministers meet in Montreal to pontificate about biodiversity, back home in Europe they are working hard to keep nature-destroying pesticides flowing. The EU’s attempt at updating the pesticide regulation – the SUR – may be delayed by 6 months if Ministers get their way, making final passage more difficult. Scientists and civil society are now focused on the Council Meeting 19th December when the next delay of SUR may be copper-fastened. Ashley Parsons and Oliver Moore report. […]

EU Fertilizer Industry Wins Big in Commission Communication

November 15, 2022 Oliver Moore

Despite record profits, the fertilizer industry has had its needs prioritised in the European Commission’s Fertilizer Communication, announced last week. Measures to prevent import-dumping of fertilizer were not lifted, in a move to protect the fertilizer industry within the EU’s borders. Oliver Moore and Ashley Parsons have more. […]

CAP’s Value, Public Canteens and Cutting Pesticide Use – EU Roundup

October 20, 2022 Ashley Parsons

CAP budget cuts? No, that’s just inflation. An EU Roundup on CAP financing, on pesticide’s – exposure to them, citizen action, facts and figures from a new Pesticide Atlas – and a vision and an action for the canteens of tomorrow. With Ashley Parsons
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Part 4 | Ireland, Food Security & Feed(ing the World) – Ireland’s own food security

July 27, 2022 ARC

In the final of his four part series, Stuart Meikle considers what Ireland could produce for local on-island consumption. Infrastructure, climate, consumer sentiment all play a part. […]

Ireland | Intensive Farms Must Pull their Weight for a Just Transition

July 26, 2022 ARC

Not all agri-sectors have the same impact. As the debate in Ireland over greenhouse gas emissions cuts for economic sectors intensifies, who is thinking about the fair share within sectors? Here we republish an article from Rural Ireland on the Move, our report from April this year. In it, Fintan Kelly – agriculture and land use policy and advocacy officer with the Irish Environmental Network – examines the idea of a fair share on emissions within agriculture. […]

Part 3 | Ireland, Food Security & Feed(ing the World) – Is Ireland Feeding Food?

July 25, 2022 Stuart Meikle

A common criticism of ‘animal agriculture’ is that it uses human-grade food as a feedstock. It is also heard in Ireland, a country with a significant livestock population by European standards. To what extent is it true that animal agriculture uses human-grade food? Stuart Meikle with part 3 of his series on Ireland, Food Security and Feeding the World. […]