Modern farming
Young people and women in EU farming
The EU farming sector is faced with an ageing population. In 2016 only 11% of farm managers in the EU were young farmers under the age of 40 years, according to Eurostat.
EU agriculture Commissioner ‘surprised’ by gene editing court ruling
The European governments have to decide whether science or politics are applied when it comes to issues such as new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs), EU's Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan said.
French MEP: Politicians should not play with people’s fears of pesticides
French MEP Angélique Delahaye believes that policymakers must tell citizens what is currently possible and what is not when it comes to pesticides. She also urged lawmakers to working in earnest to fund research and innovation in order to use as few crop protection products as possible.
The way agricultural aid is distributed creates inequalities, French court of auditors say
The way agricultural aid is distributed in France is unequal and produces negative effects, the French court of auditors said in a summary judgement. The chamber is calling for changes to how aid is allocated under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), though this is currently not on the agenda. EURACTIV France reports.
EU’s new draft food law weak on traceability, activists warn
Insecticides in eggs, salmonella in baby milk – how can major food scandals continue to occur, despite strict EU rules? The EU is currently revising its food law but for consumer protection campaigners, the proposals do not go far enough to ensure full traceability. EURACTIV Germany reports.
France struggling to phase out pesticides
France has promised to phase out glyphosate at a quicker rate than the EU. However, successive “Ecophyto plans” have not produced any results and meanwhile, the use of phytosanitary products continues to grow. EURACTIV France reports.
Phasing out pesticides is the chance for Europe to heal its environment and economy
The recent re-authorisation of glyphosate controversy highlighted the many issues surrounding pesticides, their purpose and our dependency on them, as well as the harm they bring to our health and the environment, writes Natacha Cingotti.
Bayer to ditch Monsanto name in a bid to protect corporate reputation
German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer will discard the name Monsanto when it takes over the controversial US seeds and pesticides producer this week, the group said on Monday (4 June). “Bayer will remain the name of the firm. Monsanto...
Invoking science, Europe shuts the door to neonics
The European Commission decided on Friday (27 April) to impose a complete ban on neonicotinoids, after managing to achieve the necessary qualified majority among EU member states.
Andriukaitis: Neonics case proves Commission is ‘consistent’ with science
No one can blame the European Commission of being in the hands of industry lobbies, as in both the glyphosate and neonicotinoids cases, it made “consistent” decisions, EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis told EURACTIV.com.
EFSA boss: EU food law overhaul ‘a big step towards transparency’
The European Commission has learned its lesson from the glyphosate controversy and is coming forward with “bold proposals” on transparency, says Bernhard Url. The raw data of all industry-funded studies related to pesticides will be made publicly available under Commission plans, he told EURACTIV in an interview.
Land degradation threatens wellbeing of two-fifths of humanity, major report warns
Land degradation caused by human activities undermines the well-being of at least 3.2 billion people, costs more than 10% of annual global GDP in lost ecosystem services and endangers food security, warn a hundred experts from 45 countries in a three-year assessment report published yesterday (26 March).
Pesticides found in three-quarters of fruit in France
A recent study published by the French NGO Générations Future revealed that 72.6% of non-organic fruit, contained pesticide residues. EURACTIV.fr reports.
CAP reform – what about air quality?
The third cause of death in France, air quality is particularly affected by agricultural activity. But it's an issue that is barely touched upon in the talks on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). EURACTIV.fr reports
Scientists urge action against insect decline
Scientists have come to Brussels to warn policymakers of the negative impact of pesticides on bees as the Commission prepares to propose a full ban on neonicotinoids.
Justice for bees: French court to look at pesticide ban
An environmental organisation has filed a lawsuit to ban sulfoxaflor, a pesticide that has fallen through the cracks of the ban on neonicotinoids. EURACTIV France reports.
EU delays vote on renewing controversial weedkiller licence
The EU on Wednesday (25 October) postponed a vote on renewing the licence for the controversial weedkiller glyphosate, which the European Parliament wants to ban in five years' time amid criticism that it may cause cancer.
Agrifood mergers bad for farmers, experts warn
Mergers in the agrifood sector squeeze farmers’ income and consolidate current models of food production, aggravating environmental and social fallouts, according to experts, who warn that they also create barriers for victims of industrial disasters seeking justice.
Study: Bee-harming pesticides in 75% of honey worldwide
Traces of pesticides that act as nerve agents on bees have been found in 75% of honey worldwide, raising concern about the survival of these crucial crop pollinators, researchers said yesterday (5 October).
Endocrine disruptors: A guilty definition
French socialist MEPs are defiant against the Commission's "weak, superficial and incomplete" definition of endocrine disruptors, blaming it on French Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot, and calling on the European Parliament to reject it on Wednesday 4 October.
France’s ecology minister meets angry farmers and promises ‘shared solution’
French farmers have been protesting France's proposed ban on glyphosate, Europe's number one pesticide. Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot tried to engage in dialogue with them to achieve a "shared solution". EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.
Commission readies further restrictions to neonicotinoids
The European Commission plans to propose further restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, an EU official told EURACTIV on Wednesday (20 September), amid a continuing tug of war between environmental groups and pesticide producers.
Commission launches in-depth probe of Bayer-Monsanto merger
The European Commission has launched an "in-depth" investigation into the proposed merger of global agriculture giants Monsanto and Bayer, amid concerns that it may create too high a concentration and disrupt competition in the areas of pesticides and seeds.