Sustainable food systems
Experts warn of ‘inevitable disruption’ of food supply chains with no-deal Brexit
After the United Kingdom voted against including guarantees on food standards in its post-Brexit legislation this week, experts have warned that a no-deal Brexit holds wide-ranging ramifications for food safety and businesses.
Campaigners call on EU to halt export of banned pesticides
Civil society organisations are calling on the EU to halt the production and export of banned pesticides to third countries, some of which they say can be detected in food sold back to the EU market.
No pollinators mean no agriculture, Commission Vice-President warns
Speaking before the European Parliament's plenary, the Dutch Commissioner Frans Timmermans cautioned farmers about the need to change tack on European agricultural policy.
Routine illegal pig-tail docking continues unabated in the EU
Despite the fact that the practice was outlawed over 20 years ago, only two member states have banned pig-tail docking, according to a Commission response offered to a parliamentary question on the matter.
EU farmers boss: Farm to Fork to be revised, if negative impact was proved
The European Commission's new food policy should be reviewed if a future impact assessment shows that it will negatively affect farmers, the newly-elected chair of farmers association COPA, Christiane Lambert, told EURACTIV.com.
‘Efficiency not a dirty word’: why bigger can sometimes mean better in farming
The concept of efficiency and productivity in farming is often taken to mean poor animal welfare and sustainability, but that is not necessarily the case and more work must be done to change this perception, stakeholders highlighted at a recent event on animal welfare.
Member states coalition presents latest challenge to colour-coded nutrition label
The fight against France’s Nutri-Score system reigning supreme as the mandatory EU-wide nutrition food label has kicked up a notch with the addition of a new non-paper backed by multiple member states.
Targets for anti-microbials must allow for ‘massive’ variation within livestock sector
Ambitions to lower the use of antibiotics in farming must take into account the “massive” amount of variation between member states and also between species, according to a leading livestock sustainability consultant who also highlighted the pressing need to digitalise the animal health sector.
Farmers lament lack of support from Commission chief as Brexit looms
The President of the Irish farmers association has expressed his disappointment at the lack of support Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen showed Irish citizens and farmers during her ‘State of the Union’ speech, saying that her comments about Brexit were “chilling" for Irish farmers.
MEPs want Commission to enter the veggie burger fray
European Parliament lawmakers are considering asking the European Commission to step in and help nix any doubts about the terminology used for plant-based meat substitutes, which are gaining in popularity across the EU.
Every drop counts: Exploring innovative solutions for Europe’s drought problem
A third consecutive year of drought shows that water scarcity is an increasingly frequent and widespread phenomenon in the EU, and one which holds enormous implications for the agricultural sector. EURACTIV spoke with Netafim, a specialist irrigation company, about the innovative solutions on offer to cope with this.
Germany well prepared to deal with African swine fever case, says farmers association
German Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner confirmed a case of African Swine Fever (ASF) in a wild boar in Germany on Thursday (10 September), but the EU farmers association was quick to stress the country is well prepared to respond to the issue.
Agrifood agenda: CAP reform and organics uptake
With the EU's new food policy launched this spring, policymakers will now turn their attention back to the long-delayed reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the staple of the bloc's farming industry and the biggest item in its budget.
US farm boss warns EU agrifood trade could be ‘perdue’ after Farm to Fork
US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has voiced concerns that the EU Green Deal could undermine trade and affect the “viability of EU farmers”, a claim that has been refuted by his EU counterpart.
UK gene editing amendment withdrawn, but government commits to consultation
An amendment tabled in the new UK agriculture bill, designed to allow access to new gene-editing technology, has been withdrawn but the government has pledged to conduct a public consultation on the issue, amid indications that it could eventually be in favour.
Farm to Fork Strategy: A partial response to our farmers’ needs
The European Commission's Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy has pleased environmentalists, but that is not enough - we have to look at the big picture and address its economic and social impact as well, writes Hermann Tertsch.
New impetus for sustainability tests Europe’s ‘soft power’
In the race to become a global leader for sustainability, the EU is expected to give proof of its 'soft power' with third countries to cope with the risks of falling behind on innovation.
Young farmers need a toolbox ‘as broad as possible’ to achieve Farm to Fork goals
Ensuring that food producers will be provided with the appropriate alternatives is the best way to make progress in meeting the specific objectives set up in the new Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), according to young European farmers interviewed by EURACTIV.
Kyriakides: Investments will match EU’s ambition on sustainable food systems
The EU's determination to become a global leader in sustainability will be matched by investments in solutions to deliver on the commitments set out in the EU's new food policy, Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive interview.
EU should do more on agrodiversity, Commissioner warns
Diversifying food production is key to strengthening the resilience of European agriculture and creating realistic business models for farmers in the coming years, according to EU's agri-boss Janusz Wojciechowski.
Digital tools needed to help apply fertiliser targets to national level, say stakeholders
EU-wide targets for the reduction of fertilisers, as outlined in the Farm to Fork strategy, must now be translated to country-specific targets, and for this farmers need access to the latest tools and technologies to allow them to reach these targets and get an accurate picture of the situation, stakeholders have said.
Working conditions in meat processing plants make them hotbed for COVID-19
Another major COVID-19 outbreak in the largest meat processing facility in Europe has prompted stakeholders to urge the EU Commission to take swift measures to protect workers in the sector and stem the spread of the virus.
Food security is no longer an issue in the EU, says Commissioner
Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius has cast doubt on the long-standing primacy of food security over environmental aspects in the current EU food system, suggesting that traditional concerns might give way to issues like climate change, sustainability, or biodiversity.