Olga Kikou
Big agri-food industry aims to kill ‘End The Cage Age’ initiative
The Big Agri industry has launched a multi-pronged attack on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) to End The Cage Age – a direct democracy tool that enables European citizens to request an end to the use of cages for farm animals, writes Olga Kikou.
EU citizens call for an end to the use of cages for farm animals
Earlier in September, the European Commission registered a new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) called END THE CAGE AGE, which aims to put an end to the most appalling symbol of industrial animal farming – the cage, writes Olga Kikou.
New organic rules and animal welfare: Meeting social expectations or not?
The EU organic logo brings certain guarantees about high standards of animal welfare, and EU institutions ought to show strong commitment to address weaknesses in regards to animal welfare rules, writes Olga Kikou.
Time for EU rabbit farming to enter the 21st century
Raising rabbits for food used to be a back yard enterprise. Not anymore, writes Olga Kikou, who urges the adoption of EU-wide standards to improve the living condition of farmed rabbits in Europe.
The EU’s promotion of meat consumption is misguided, Mr Hogan
Ever since he took office, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has promoted the interests of the livestock sector while ignoring health warnings and environmental concerns over meat consumption, writes Olga Kikou.
CAP and animal welfare: Simply incompatible
Livestock production has been at the centre of the intensification in agriculture brought by Europe's Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), writes Olga Kikou. These policies have put farmers under pressure, and created conditions for overproduction, she says.
Milk production in the EU: Holding on to the fantasy, or facing the truth?
Recent protests about the falling price of milk have turned the spotlight on the dairy sector. But large scale dairy farming has the potential to exacerbate existing problems, writes Olga Kikou.