Agrifood Archives

As it becomes increasingly evident that Europe’s farming must change, the European Union is in danger of doubling down on a broken system, warns Marco Contiero.

EURACTIV Romania visited two locations to learn more about the computerised management in farming, from beekeeping to grain transport.

Changing farming practices is always risky and if we want EU farmers to enter the digital era, we need to support them financially for a certain transition period, as has been the case with switching to organic farming, agriculture expert Luc Vernet told EURACTIV.

The European Commission has decided not to impose provisional import tariffs on a flood of low-priced Argentine biodiesel until it gathers more information, although it considers the fuel to be subsidised and a potential threat to local producers.

This week in Geneva, the Human Rights Council is expected to take a position on the follow-up to a draft Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other Persons Working in Rural Areas. Five years after the start of the negotiations, we are at a turning point, argues a group of European academics.

The much-awaited digitisation of the EU farming sector has taken centre stage in the last few years. But its ultimate application in the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is still unclear.

Unfair trading practices must be banned from supermarket supply chains to improve the income and working conditions of the people who produce our food in Europe and across the globe, write Marc-Olivier Herman and Tom Wills.

Soils play a key role in regulating the earth's climate, sustaining agriculture and preserving biodiversity. Yet they have fallen down the EU policy agenda even though tools exist to reverse that trend, according to a new report published today (26 September).

The connection between digital farming and sustainable production is not yet clear in the minds of many policymakers, Bayer’s Bruno Tremblay told EURACTIV.com in an interview, adding that some farmers look at this kind of innovation as a way to control them.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released fresh data, which re-confirm the toxicity of copper compounds, pesticides that are used in organic farming.

The system for approving pesticides has to show greater transparency, a special committee of the European Parliament has concluded. An article by EURACTIV France’s media partner, the Journal de l’environnement.

Member states and not the European Commission will direct the precise support and funding for innovation and digitisation of farming in the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan told EURACTIV Romania in an interview.

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.

Farming accounts for around 60% of all jobs in sub-Saharan Africa. Governments, the African Union and the EU are keen to promote the industrialization of the African farming sector. But rapid population growth, the effects of climate change and lack of access to finance are among the threats to the future growth of African agriculture and its capacity to feed its people.

Cashew nuts: They are not only meant to make you happy but also to strengthen the heart. On average, every European consumes an average of one kilo of this nut per year. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The expansion of e-tools in rural areas will enable villages to become more agile, make better use of their resources as well as improve their attractiveness and the quality of life of rural residents, argue MEPs Franc Bogovic and Tibor Szanyi.

The European Commission presented last June its proposals about the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In light of the rising global competition, analysts stress the need for a quicker adoption of new technologies in the sector, warning that otherwise the EU will be left behind.

An extensive regulatory process on gene editing adds more bureaucracy, increasing costs and slowing down innovation, Liam Condon, President of Bayer’s crop science division told EURACTIV.com.

EU stakeholders are playing ping-pong with the body that will be responsible for deciding whether or not to break business confidentiality and make industry studies public, in line with the terms of the new transparency rules on food safety. EURACTIV.com reports from Parma.

Brexit, particularly the prospect of 'no deal', poses a serious threat to animal welfare standards and food security, writes Carel du Marchie Sarvaas.

Spirulina, an ancient algae with many nutritional qualities is still not widely grown in Europe, which is, however, a major consumer of this “super food”. In the Nantes region, a market gardening group has ventured into greenhouse farming with the support of European funds. EURACTIV France reports.

At a vote on the agriculture and food law, French MPs again refused to enter the banning of glyphosate within the next three years into legislation. EURACTIV France reports.

Survey: The demand for organic products is rising in Germany. Is this all just marketing is there more behind this increase in turnover. EURACTIV Germany reports.

European agriculture can phase out pesticides, reduce its impacts on climate and biodiversity while ensuring food security for Europeans, French researchers Pierre-Marie Aubert and Xavier Poux  told a conference held in Paris on 13 September.