About: agriculture Archives

The European Commission sued Germany before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for excessive nitrate levels in groundwater. Yet, with critics harping on about Germany's measuring methods, can it be said that Germany is deliberately sending the EU its worst water values? EURACTIV Germany does a fact-check.

In 2018 alone, the French government spent €400 million to reduce the use of pesticides, even though their use ended up increasing. France's public auditor is criticising the situation and calling on integrating agro-ecological transition objectives into the CAP. EURACTIV France reports.

After the European Commission rejected previous drafts amending Germany's fertiliser regulation, the agriculture ministry announced it would send a final draft to Brussels this week, but the environment minister was full of criticism at her cabinet colleague. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Germany's grand coalition wants to support agriculture with €1 billion when stricter fertiliser regulations come into force soon. Farmers, however, are outraged, as they are demanding political action instead of money. Yet, the clock is ticking in Brussels and hefty fines are imminent. EURACTIV Germany reports.

French President Emmanuel Macron will pay his first visit to Poland on 3 and 4 February. With the two countries not seeing eye to eye on several issues, including the rule of law and climate protection, this is expected to be an interesting meeting. EURACTIV France reports.

French NGOs and multinational oil and gas company Total continue their arm-wrestling over the tax status of palm oil used in crop-based biofuels. EURACTIV France reports.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Berlin in the tenth "We're fed up with it!" rally on Saturday (18 January) in an effort to bring about a radical change in Germany's agricultural sector. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Despite France's campaign against glyphosate and a plan to ban it in a majority of agricultural practices by the end of 2020, the world's most commonly used weedkiller saw its sales volumes soar by 10% in the country in 2018.

If the production of organic products continues to grow every year in France, mass distribution will supply even more of these products by 2022, according to an analysis note from the Xerfi Precepta Institute. But could such a development prove to be risky? EURACTIV's partner Le Journal de l'environnement reports.

The concentration of the French dairy industry, which is at the origin of the impoverishment of milk producers, paradoxically ranks the sector above its global competitors, according to a study by France Agrimer. EURACTIV France reports.

Following the ongoing protests by farmers in recent months, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) were invited to attend an agricultural summit yesterday (2 December). They intend to reinforce dialogue with the agricultural sector, once again. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Since the German government abolished the mother sheep premium in 2005, shepherds have been suffering financially. But given that 22 other EU member states still award such a premium and since Germany could reintroduce such a bonus at any given time, shepherds continue to protest. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Tens of thousands of farmers protested in Berlin on Tuesday (26 November) against the government's new agricultural policy. They complained about increasing environmental protection requirements and falling product prices, which are increasingly damaging their business. EURACTIV Germany reports.

From 2021, the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is intended to be more closely linked to environmental requirements. But this could lead to large conventional farms facing existential threats. EURACTIV Germany reports.

In Europe, the day before All Saints Day, often termed Halloween, pumpkins are everywhere, as millions of Europeans decorate and place them in front of their doors. For its Halloween special, EURACTIV Germany has put together a few (very European) statistics about the beloved orange fruit.

On Monday (21 October), the European Parliament voted in favour of using funds from the Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) in the event of a hard Brexit to help workers of the remaining EU-27 who will have lost their jobs as a result of the UK's withdrawal. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Based on a conclusion by the EU's food safety authority (EFSA), the EU Commission announced on Tuesday (22 October) that it will not renew the authorisation of the "bee killer" substance thiacloprid. This means that the substance can still be used until April 2020. EURACTIV Germany reports. 

Hundreds of farmers are planning a demonstration in front of the European Parliament on Tuesday, calling for fewer direct payments to large industrial farms under the proposed revision of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). EURACTIV Germany reports.

Fourteen cities announced on Thursday (10 October) that they would pay particular attention to the sustainable and healthy food supply in their cities in the future. This way, they aim to save 60% of the carbon emissions in the food sector. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The European Parliament will be grilling the proposed members of Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission in a series of hearings between 30 September and 8 October.

Methane, which is emitted when cows belch, is the second most common greenhouse gas on the planet but its effect on the atmosphere is about thirty times more harmful than that of CO2. The political agenda is set on curbing CO2 emissions, leaving the issue of methane emissions often untouched. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The German government wants to protect insects better and completely ban the controversial weedkiller glyphosate by 2023. It also intends to introduce an animal welfare label, and unlock additional funds for CAP measures that are environmentally friendly. EURACTIV Germany reports.

A group of concerned investors has examined the sustainability of the world's largest fattening farms and dairy factories that supply the global food industry. And the results aren't mouth-watering, EURACTIV Germany reports.

Climate change is causing problems for Germany's forests, as large woodland areas are dying. The ministry of agriculture is now planning to unlock millions of euros in aid to help prevent new forests from dying out. EURACTIV Germany reports.