Strategic Dialogue: Towards a common vision of tomorrow’s agriculture in the EU

The Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture has spent the past several months in detailed discussions about the long-term development of food and farming in the EU. The European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen launched the Strategic Dialogue in January 2024 under an independent chair, Professor Peter Strohschneider. Its brief was to bring a diverse and sometimes discordant group of stakeholders together to protect and promote farming’s long-term future – while also driving economic, environmental and social sustainability for a sector central to Europe’s identity. In September 2024, Prof Strohschneider handed the report of the Strategic Dialogue’s consensus-based discussions to President Von der Leyen. The Commission is expected to use the report as a base for the subsequent development of the Common Agricultural Policy in the years ahead. This 46th episode of Food for Europe includes an interview with Prof Strohschneider, who provides some reflections on a lengthy, intense and detailed process. We also speak to Marco Contiero of Greenpeace, Lennart Nilsson of Cogeca and Dirk Jacobs of Food Drink Europe – all of whom provide insight from their own participation in this unprecedented exercise to make Europe’s food and farming sector fit for a prosperous, competitive and sustainable future.

Livestock: a guarantor of biodiversity?

The agricultural livestock sector is often blamed for all the ills of the planet. However, there is an enormous difference between intensive and extensive livestock farming. Food for Europe visited the Libramont agricultural fair in Belgium to meet farmers who have chosen to farm io a way that respects the environment and animal welfare. Extensive livestock farming, including agro-forestry, is essential for human development, quality of life and the management rural landscapes. It combines food production with multiple beneficial services, and is crucial for remote areas with few economic alternatives. Despite environmental, economic and regulatory challenges, extensive livestock farming offers many often overlooked environmental benefits, such as biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Extensive grazing systems play an important role in fire prevention and ecosystem management.

Farming and the environment: can they be reconciled?

The Green Deal, launched by the European Commission in 2019, is the EU’s flagship initiative to accelerate and deliver a transition to a more sustainable world – not least in agriculture. But in the recent European election campaign, the Green Deal came under considerable scrutiny from farmers and farming organisations, highlighting the tension that sometimes exists between agriculture and the environment. In this forty-forth edition of Food for Europe, we look at this question once again in the wake of Europe’s unique democratic exercise. We’ll hear from Wolfgang Burtscher, the director-general of the European Commission’s directorate-general for agriculture and rural development, DG AGRI; and from Clara Bourgin, from Friends of the Earth, an environmental advocacy group. Our report comes from Emilia-Romagna in Italy, where we meet Matteo Pagliarani, a 29-year-old farmer who is also a vice-president of the European Council of Young Farmers. He shares with us the challenges and joys of living off the land, as well as his perspective on our central question: whether it’s possible to balance Europe’s need for food production with our responsibility to the environment.

Generational renewal in Europe’s countryside

With 57 being the average age of a farmer in the EU, and alarmingly few young people attracted to farming - even fewer of them young women - the European Commission’s directorate-general for agriculture and rural development (DG AGRI) is investing in reversing this reality through generational renewal. Improving the quality of life in rural areas and assisting young farmers to launch or expand their activities are at the heart of DG AGRI’s efforts, which recognise that Europe’s food security, social cohesion and even its historic character will disappear without the presence and commitment of young people. During the recent European Youth Week kick-off event in Brussels, DG AGRI held a breakout session for young farmers, rural activists and twentysomethings interested in a life on the land. The purpose of the session was to learn more about these young people’s aspirations, concerns and perspectives, to better tailor policy in favour of generational renewal. Our 43rd episode of Food for Europe travels to Ireland and Spain to meet two young people living in rural areas, and to follow them to Brussels as they contribute to the European Youth Week event. We hear also from DG AGRI Haude Blanc, who hails herself from a tiny village in southern France, about the challenges and opportunities of generational renewal in the countryside.

SIA: what is Europe doing for farming?

It was in a climate of tension that the Salon de l’Agriculture International (International Agricultural Show) was held from 24 February to 3 March 2024 in Paris – something that Food for Europe simply couldn’t miss. As farmers’ anger rumbled across Europe, French farmers made their voices heard at the show. The 2024 edition was marred by scuffles and damage. How, in this context, can we evoke opinions and perspectives without exacerbating tensions? The public debate moderated by Olaf Bruns for Food for Europe attempted to rise to the challenge. Its theme? What is Europe doing for agriculture? The programme’s two guests were Christiane Lambert, President of COPA, the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations of the European Union, and Catherine Geslain-Lannélle, director in charge of strategy and policy analysis at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture. They discussed what the European Union brings to citizens in general, and to farmers in particular, including food security, a single market and financial support. They also discussed the frustration of farmers who say they are drowning in an 'administrative tsunami' and how to respond to it – including the measures recently proposed by the Commission to lighten the burden. The 42nd episode of Food for Europe brings you the highlights of this debate which you can watch in its entirety on YouTube.

Future of agriculture: the Strategic Dialogue between all stakeholders has started

On 25 January 2024, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, launched the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of European Agriculture. The project is ambitious: to shape a common vision for the future of the EU's agriculture and food system. Faced with growing challenges, the EU is looking for the most effective ways to support its farmers and adapt its agricultural and environmental policies for the future. How will the Strategic Dialogue go about its work? What will be the main focus? And when, and in what form, will the conclusions of the Strategic Dialogue be presented? The Food for Europe team traveled to Munich for an exclusive interview with Peter Strohschneider, chair of the Strategic Dialogue.

One country, two systems: eco-schemes on farms in Belgium

Belgium holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union until 30 June 2024. In this episode, therefore, Food for Europe is focusing on Belgian agriculture, and specifically on ‘eco-schemes’: measures proposed to farmers in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to encourage an even broader adoption of sustainable practices. As agriculture is a regional competence in Belgium, Dutch-speaking Flanders and largely French-speaking Wallonia each have their own CAP strategic plans and eco-schemes – a unique situation in the European Union. Food for Europe takes you to the linguistic border of the country to meet Thomas Fastré, a Walloon farmer who is confronted every year with an administrative headache that is far from unique in Belgium. He shares his experience of one year of running eco-schemes, and shares suggestions to improve the system. At his side, Emmanuelle Escarnot, agricultural policy advisor to the Walloon government, explains more about eco-schemes in Wallonia and makes an initial assessment of their impact. Belinda Cloet, who is in charge of policy coordination of the Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries in the Flemish government, shows us a different Flemish strategy for eco-schemes, but one that is also bearing fruit. Jonas Lemaire, farmer and president of the Groene Kring trade union in Flemish Brabant, shares with us how eco-schemes have led him to adopt new practices, and echoes some of the contrasting opinions among Flemish farmers. Finally, Marc Blondiau, programme manager at the European Commission’s DG AGRI, discusses the essence of eco-schemes and the discussions underway at the European Commission to try to reduce the administrative burden on farmers.

Innovation and digitilisation: the solution for sustainable agriculture in Europe?

The Grüne Woche (Green Week) agricultural fair opened its doors in Berlin from 19 to 28 January 2024. For the editors of "Food for Europe", this was a must-attend event to take the pulse of European agriculture, and an opportunity to debate with farmers' associations, farmers and representatives of the European Commission. The main theme of the debate: is the development of digitisation and precision farming the key to sustainable agriculture in Europe? Here are some of the best moments from our live broadcast on Facebook and X.

AgriFoodDays: united towards sustainable agriculture

Faced with climate upheavals, “now's the time to come together” – “the time has come to join forces”: these are the words chosen by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to set January 2024 as the launch date for the strategic dialogue among all actors in the food chain announced in September. This video speech was broadcast to open the Agri-Food Days – the European Agri-Food Days, which took place from December 5 to 8 in Brussels. On stage and in the audience, the event brought together all stakeholders in the sector: farmers, processors, distributors, consumers, environmental and animal protection NGOs, scientists, policymakers… An opportunity to exchange ideas and collectively imagine a sustainable future for our agricultural and food systems. For this final episode of 2023, Food for Europe takes you behind the scenes of the event to confront the challenges facing the agricultural and rural world, as well as the solutions available. Peter Meedendorf, arable crop producer and president of the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA), shares his concerns about generational renewal in agriculture. Isabel Buscke, Head of the Liaison Office of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, talks about the role of consumers, but also of retailers, in the transition to sustainable models. Gianluca Feligini, Head of Precision Technologies for Europe, Middle East and Africa at agricultural supplier CNH, discusses the technological advances that can support this transition. Finally, Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Director of Strategy and Policy Analysis at DG AGRI, gives her assessment of the Agri-Food Days.

Agrivoltaics: a promising alliance between solar power and farming

Agrivoltaics is a set of practices that allow photovoltaic energy production and agricultural production to coexist on the same land, at the same time. In the current context of fluctuating energy bills, the solutions proposed by the solar power industry are beginning to gain more traction in Europe’s agriculture sector. But there’s much still that’s unclear – and this appears to be cause for hesitation. What impact do solar panels have on yields? Are photovoltaic solutions adapted to all types of culture and breeding? How should we supervise this nascent, but promising, sector so that farming does not become sacrified on the altar of solar power? The 37th epsiode of Food for Europe travels to France, an agrivoltaics pionneer, to meet Benoît Bougler, a farmer from Picardy who hosts one of the first solar panel installations above a cereal crop. Cédric Cogniez, head of agricultural partnerships for one of France's leading solar energy producers, TSE, takes stock of agrivoltaics in France. Lina Dubina, sustainability policy advisor at Solar Power Europe, the trade association for the European photovoltaic industry, discusses efforts at European level to promote the deployment of agrivoltaic solutions. Finally, Antanas, Karbauskas, policy coordinator for economic sustainability for the Common Agricultural Policy at the European Commission's DG AGRI, discusses the possibilities for agrivoltaics in the current European regulatory framework and the potential of solar energy in agriculture.

Fruit: Children going bananas: the EU school scheme for fruit & veg

For this 36th edition of Food for Europe, we travel to the Canary Islands, one of the outermost regions of the European Union, where the famous Plátano de Canarias PGI banana comes from. We focus on two aspects of this unique product: its status of protected geographical indication under EU law, adding value to agriculture in this isolated region; and its role in the EU school scheme, which provides fruit, vegetables and milk to pupils across Europe for both physical and educational nourishment. We talk to Santiago Rodríguez Pérez, who’s spent his life farming Plátano de Canarias, and we hear from Sergio Cáceres, manager of producers’ association Asprocan about the challenges facing the sector. Food for Europe also meets María Nieves Hernández Velázquez, director of the school CEIP Los Cristianos, which participates in the EU-funded school scheme that supplies the famous Plátano de Canarias to students and educates them about the archipelago’s agricultural heritage. Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development officials Aniko Németh and Carlos Martín Óvilo provide, respectively, the policy perspectives on the system of geographical indications and the purpose and advantages of the EU school scheme.

Water crisis : the promise of precision agriculture

Every year that passes brings home the reality of climate change more vividly: it’s putting a strain on European agriculture, and not only in the countries of southern Europe. Faced with increased heat events and falling groundwater levels, the agricultural sector is facing a major challenge to reduce its freshwater consumption without compromising land productivity. Today, new technologies make it possible to optimise crop irrigation: one of the promising aspects of precision agriculture. But are the tools it offers appropriate in all circumstances to overcome the water crisis, or do we also need to rethink our agricultural practices to boost resilience? For this 35th episode of Food for Europe, we travel to the northern German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where recent heatwaves have challenged the conventional wisdom of a region normally blessed with adequate water supplies. Josef Elfrich, an organic market gardener, tells us about his solutions to maximise the efficiency of his crop irrigation system. Guillaume Vial, an agricultural engineer specialising in new agricultural technologies at My Easy Farm, talks to us about precision farming solutions and the value of the data collected. Professor Marnik Vanclooster, President of the Earth and Life Institute at the Catholic University of Louvain, talks about the systemic changes necessary in European agriculture in light of the scarcity of natural resources. Finally, Gaëlle Marion, Head of Unit for the Environmental Sustainability of Agriculture at the European Commission's DG AGRI gives us the European Commission's perspective on the crucial role of farmers and the policy perspective in the battle to protect and preserve water resources.

Sustainability: the promising perspective of vertical farming

Against the backdrop of demographic pressures and climate change, vertical agriculture is stimulating interest from investors and political decision-makers alike. This type of agriculture, in a controlled environment, can be practiced anywhere in urban areas, in multi-storey structures that eliminate unpredictable factors such as weather and disease. But although the technology is established, vertical farming remains outside the mainstream. So, what are its advantages? What synergies does it offer with conventional agriculture? What about standards, labelling and regulation of this hi-tech sector? The 34th edition of Food for Europe reports from Belgium and meets three personalities with different roles in the sector: Audrey Boucher, manager of an urban farm in Brussels; Maarten Vandecruys, founder of Urban Crops Solutions, whose locally-made equipment may one day find itself deployed on the surface of Mars; and Thomas Zöllner, secretary-general of FarmTech Society, a recently established professional association focusing on the controlled agriculture sector. Fabio Cossu, a policy analyst from the Policy and Perspectives Unit in the European Commission’s DG AGRI, responds to the points they raise and outlines how vertical farming can contribute to a vision of farming in the future.

Awards: Celebrating the best of organic farming and food

Organic agriculture is on the rise, with the EU setting a target of 25 per cent of farmland to go organic by the end of this decade. To accompany Europe’s farmers and food industry on the road to greater sustainability and environmental responsibility, the European Commission’s DG AGRI has instituted the annual Organic Awards. These prizes, awarded across seven categories, recognise and highlight the role that organic farmers and agri-food businesses play in making European agriculture a global leader of innovation in this sector. This episode of Food for Europe comes from the awards ceremony in Brussels, We hear from Elena Panichi, head of the organics unit in DG AGRI, about the contribution of organic farming to the broader EU environmental objectives in the Green Deal and how the awards fit into the Commission’s broader Organic Action Plan. We also talk to the winners of these awards, which cover categories including: Best organic farmer (female) and best organic farmer (male) Best organic city Best organic region Best organic bio-district Best organic food processing SME Best organic food retailer Best organic restaurant/food service

CAP : CAP’s economic pillar: supporting livelihoods and sustainable growth

First and foremost, agriculture is a livelihood for farmers and the foundation of the rural economy across Europe. Farmers are having to adapt to new environmental and social requirements while striving to boost efficiency and profitability in a sustainable way. This latest podcast in the ‘Food for Europe’ series looks at the economic pillar of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the way in which it seeks to support thew business of farming. In particular, the episode looks at the valuable services provided by farm advisory structures to farmers looking to diversify, maximise profitability and develop their farms’ full potential. Our guests on this programme include: Phil Stewart, a farmer from County Longford in central Ireland; Shane Devaney, a farm advisor from Teagasc, the Irish Agricultural and Food Development Authority, working directly with Phil to boost the farm’s viability; Barry Caslin, an expert from Teagasc who provides an overview of farm support services offered by his organisation; and Iman Boot, team leader on economic sustainability from DG AGRI.

CAP : CAP’s social pillar: the essence of European farming

Agriculture is the lifeblood of rural communities across Europe, but its place at the heart of EU society cannot be taken for granted. Unless farming can attract new practitioners, our rural communities face long-term decline, which has knock-on effects for food security. Furthermore, agriculture can only attract a steady flow of newcomers if it offers a secure livelihood with decent working conditions and a reliable work-life balance. This latest podcast in the ‘Food for Europe’ series looks at the social pillar of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the way in which it seeks to strengthen the resilience of the communities and individuals on whom the stewardship of the countryside – and the production of our food – depends. The podcast looks at two core principles of the CAP social pillar: generational renewal and social conditionality. Our guests on this programme include: young farmers from Austria Johannes Schullern and Christina Proßepper, who recount their path to extra-familial farm succession as a way to enter the profession; Florian Jungreithmeier from Perspektive Landwirtschaft, which assisted Johannes and Christina to find a farm to take over; Doris Letina from the European Council of Young Farmers; Enrico Somaglia from the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions; and DG AGRI officials Margaret Bateson and María Gafo.

Rural depopulation: women in Spain bucking the trend

Spain is one of the EU Member States with alarming level of rural depopulation: while the population of Spain increased by more than 15 per cent between 2000 and 2018, in the same period it fell by 10 per cent in rural areas. And women often have a particularly hard time: in the EU as a whole, 23 per cent of farms are run by women, compared to just 19 per cent in Spain. But while more and more young people and women are leaving rural areas due to lack of prospects, they are also considered to be one of the key factors in keeping the population in the countryside – and even bringing people back. The rule of thumb is: if the women stay, the chances increase that overall, more of the total rural population will stay. And Spain is also one of the EU Member States that is taking the issue particularly seriously. Keeping young people – and especially women – in the countryside is specifically encouraged here. In many Spanish regions, this can mean higher start-up aid for women to set up a business and higher complementary income support for young farmers. This latest podcast in the "Food for Europe" series, at the start of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union, looks at the policies that promote women remaining in, and returning to, rural communities – and includes successful examples of new business start-ups by women. Our guests on this programme are entrepreneurs Natalia Suárez Álvarez, Berta Valgañón and Nazaret Mateos, who have all set up businesses in the Spanish countryside, and Elvira Bakker, Head of the CAP Strategic Plans and Rural Development Programmes Unit at the European Commission for three Member States (Ireland, Spain and Portugal) and Rural Development Programmes for the United Kingdom.

Farming and the environment: an evolving path

Agriculture’s impact on the environment remains one of the most controversial aspects of the Common Agricultural Policy. However, the European Union is moving progressively towards a greener, more sustainable way of farming that prioritises environmental considerations and where farmers become enablers of the green transition. Europe’s citizens are increasingly demanding to know where their food comes from and how it’s been produced. NGOs and ecological organisations are contributing their views to the debate and monitoring the implementation of policy in the EU’s 27 Member States. Farmers, meanwhile, are stressing the need to ensure that change is steady and manageable rather than revolutionary. This latest podcast in the ‘Food for Europe’ series looks at the environmental policies that emerged from the recent legislative process to reform the Common Agricultural Policy. Our guests on this programme include: Christian Wester, president of the Centrale Paysanne farmers’ union in Luxembourg; Michael Pielke, acting director for sustainability in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development; Célia Nyssens-James from the European Environmental Bureau; Elena Ambühl from Agroecology Europe; and Benoît Biteau, a Green MEP from France.

EU AgriResearch Conference: how research and innovation is shaping the farms of the future

Research and innovation has a crucial role in achieving the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of the agricultural and forestry sectors and rural areas. It also has an important role to play in fighting climate change, environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity. The importance of R&I for the EU is reflected in the total budget of around €95.5 billion for Horizon Europe (2021-2027), its current Framework Programme for R&I, and its main instrument for implementing its common scientific and innovation policy (a budget increase of about 30 per cent when compared to its predecessor, Horizon 2020). Within Horizon Europe, the EU has almost doubled the budget on agricultural, forestry and rural R&I. The EU AgriResearch Conference is a milestone in the strategic process to define objectives and priority areas for EU-funded research and innovation (R&I) for agriculture, forestry and rural areas. The 2023 event, which was entitled “Knowledge, innovation and skills for sustainable horizons” raised great interest, with more than 1500 applications to participate in person in the plenary and parallel sessions on 31 May and 1 June. Our guests on this programme include: Magda Kopczynska, who’s a deputy director general of the European Commission’s directorate-general for agriculture and rural development; Diana Lenzi, president of the European Council of Young Farmers; Rogier Schulte, professor of farming systems ecology from the University of Wageningen; and Gilles Saindon, assistant deputy minister of agriculture of Canada.

Sweden: a portrait of agricultural diversity

What do you know about Swedish agriculture? It’s a question Food for Europe is asking in this edition of the programme, following the country’s assumption of the revolving presidency of the Council of the European Union. The picture we paint is one of contrasts, shaped by geology, climate and sustainability. In the north, in Norrbotten where the climate is harsh and the soils unpromising, Hulda Wirsen and Johan Liljebäck, a young couple who farm dairy cattle, tell us about the transformations they’re among ro their farm, their commitment to sustainability and their aspirations for the future. They also share with us their concerns related to the growing number of abandoned farms in their area, and the consequences for biodiversity. In the south, in the fertile plains of Scania, Hans Ramel, a farmer who heads the local farmers’ association, informs us about the effects of climate change on his production and his belief in the need to trust farmers to promote more environmentally friendly practices in the sector. Our studio guest is Lars Olsson, agriculture coordinator of the Swedish presidency of the Council, who gives us an overview of the strengths of farming in Sweden and the challenges it faces. He also shares with us the priorities of the Swedish strategic plan in the context of the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

Green Week : The CAP debated at the "GREEN WEEK" 2023 in Berlin

Berlin International Green Week opened its doors on the twentieth of January, and for Food for Europe it’s a great opportunity to discuss the European Union’s new Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP, with farmers, interest groups, and representatives of the EU institutions including the Commission and the Parliament – in this, our twenty-sixth edition. So here are some snapshots from our Facebook Live broadcast that we made from the event, which you can enjoy in full on our Facebook site.

Geographical indications: Protected local delicacies for Christmas!

There’s one guest that will have an honoured place at the tables of millions of Europeans in every member state this Christmas: geographical indications. These hallmarks of quality, authenticity and tradition are indelibly associated with the European gastronomic tradition. They reflect the food and drink heritage of a specific territory, and they give producers in that area the right to market their products under a registered name, provided those products respect the established criteria that define the product. Geographical indications add value and commercial advantage to quality products, especially at Christmas – think Champagne, Cava and Prosecco, to name but three that will be savoured in millions of European homes over the festive season. In this special Christmas edition, we’re looking at speciality food and drink from Germany and Hungary that benefit from GIs. Stroll with us around the beautiful Christmas market in Nuremberg to enjoy delicacies including the famous Nürnberger Glühwein, unique in the world. We also meet a fish farmer from Hungary whose carp, which benefit from a protected designation of origin, will grace many thousands of Christmas tables in central and eastern Europe. At the Christmas market we meet Richard Balling, who’s responsible for food quality policy at the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry, and Branka Tome, who oversees GIs at the European Commission’s DG AGRI.

CAP: A greener and fairer CAP

The new Common Agricultural Policy, the CAP, comes into force from January the 1st next year. It’s one of the biggest, most important, longest-lasting – and often the most incendiary – of EU programmes. Co-financing and complementary national financing will bring the total public budget dedicated to farmers and rural communities to €307 billion for the 2023-2027 period. Of that, the lion’s share will go to direct income support for Europe’s farmers. CAP 23 to 27 comes at a time when food security and food affordability in Europe face huge challenges. From the fallout of the war in Ukraine, from this summer’s drought and from climate change. How to balance, in budget and policy terms, the competing interests posed by each of these? Particularly, the kind of investment that greener, more sustainable farming demands? What sort of new green policies are actually at play here? And in a sector with vanishingly small numbers of young people in it, what’s their take on the new CAP? We’ll be finding out in our next edition of Food for Europe, with interviews with two Danish livestock farmers, with the President of the European Council of Young Farmers, herself a wine producer in Italy, and with the Director General of DG Agri, Wolfgang Burtscher.

Fruit and vegetables in Europe: innovation, tradition, nutrition

Few of us let a day go by without enjoying European fruit and vegetables at our table. The EU’s production of fruit and veg is at the core of its Common Agricultural Policy: as well as feeding Europeans, it’s exported far and wide beyond the single market. For the episode of Food for Europe, we visit a hi-tech pepper production facility at a greenhouse in the Netherlands with industry representative Wim Rodenburg, and we hear from Giulia Montanaro, who works for an apple producer association in northern Italy and tells us about the region’s centuries of cultivation of fruit prized across the world. Nutritionist Jürgen König and European Commission DG AGRI director for markets Pierre Bascou provide their policy perspectives on this important industry. Our programme presents examples of the sector’s success, competitiveness and commitment to quality, as well as busting some myths and misconceptions regarding production capacity, environmental impact, promotion to consumers and protection for producers.

Fertiliser: Tackling the fertiliser crisis

Europe’s fertiliser industry has been hit front and side in the past few years: during and after the Covid outbreak in 2020, when many fertiliser factories had to close and struggled to re-launch operations amid rising costs for energy and raw materials. Then, war in Ukraine dramatically affected supplies, not just from Ukraine, but from neighbouring Russia and Belarus too. All three represent about a third of Europe’s fertiliser imports. Now, it’s a full-fledged crisis, with farmers facing fourfold price increases in some cases and many cutting back on, or cutting out altogether, fertilising their land. That in turn threatens next year’s yields and could drive up food prices even further. On November 10 the EU unveiled its latest response, announcing extra measures to help farmers and the industry. And not just in Europe, but in other parts of the world which can’t afford to subsidize or compensate their food and fertiliser producers. This latest episode in DG Agri’s Food for Europe podcast series throws the spotlight on fertilisers from all angles: farmers, producers and policy makers. Our keynote guest is Janusz Wojciechowski, the EU’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, who spells out the causes of the current crisis and potential future threats, and who has some short-term solutions. He’s joined by a cereals farmer in France’s breadbasket region of La Beauce, cornered as it is by a perfect storm of negative events. He is seeing the effects play out before his eyes with the closure of his village bakery. We also talk to a specialist in biowaste alternatives, advocating greener fertilising, and to an industry representative.

Coffee: Smell the coffee: ten years of EU free trade with Central America

The EU-Central America free trade agreement has recently celebrated its first decade: ten years in which trade in both directions has doubled, and the six countries covered by the agreement – Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama – have made significant accomplishments towards their own regional economic integration. Central America exports many high-value agricultural commodities to Europe, including speciality coffees. Food for Europe’s latest podcast looks at the results achieved under the accord and the aspirations embodied by it. We meet a Costa Rican coffee farmer, Luís Campos, on his farm in the hills above San José; we hear from Katrien Pauwels, a Belgian coffee roaster, to whom Luís exports his coffee; Carla Caballeros from the Guatemalan chamber of agriculture, speaks about her hopes for the development of the agreement; and Luis Carazo Jimenez from the European Commission’s DG AGRI discusses how successfully Central American exporters have adapted to the quality and regulatory expectations of European consumers.

Pesticides: More sustainable pest control: what does the future look like?

There have been few issues in the European political spectrum to ignite civic action quite like the use of pesticides. Over the years the EU has responded, issuing a series of directives to limit chemical pesticides and drive towards more sustainable pesticide use through what’s known as Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. This is about harnessing natural methods, processes and predators in the ecology in and around fields to control pests and increase the health and yield of crops. This summer, the European Commission tabled legislation to reduce synthetic pesticide use and risk by fifty per cent by 2030, complete with an IPM toolbox for farmers with practical help, advice and incentives within the Common Agricultural Policy. Episode 20 in the DG Agri podcast series Food for Europe focuses on pesticides. We meet a Belgian farmer who’s been putting IPM into action for years … and reaping the rewards. We talk to the Commission on the drivers behind the new legislation, not least the European Green Deal. And a French scientist walks us through the latest alternative, more environmentally friendly pesticides.

Rural Pact: acting for the diverse rural areas of Europe

Much of the responsibility for the Rural Pact’s coordination and networking lies with the European Commission, but the inputs of national, regional and local governments are vital. The Rural Pact also encourages a diverse range of stakeholders including businesses, foundations and research institutes to act for – and with – rural areas to reach the goals outlined in the long-term vision. We hear from a rural activist and youth worker, Maria Bulnes, about the challenges she encounters in Cantabria, northern Spain; we hear the perspectives of Samuel Féret, a researcher working to sharpen the quality of data coming from rural areas for better policymaking; and Alexia Rouby, a European Commission official working to advance the Rural Pact as part of the EU’s commitment to thriving rural communities.

Agriculture: A snapshot of Czech agriculture

Episode 18 of Food for Europe takes a long look at agriculture in the Czech Republic, following its assumption of the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. Like all EU member states, Czechia is trapped in a storm of events outside its control, with farmers badly hit by soaring fuel and energy bills, rising inflation and a summer drought. And of course, by the consequences of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, which is just a few hundred kilometres due east. So how is the country coping? By training its eye, it seems, on future as well as present challenges. Its three main agricultural priorities focus on long-term issues: food security, plant protection (read mostly reducing harmful pesticides), and deforestation. The Czech presidency comes as the date for the new Common Agricultural Policy (2023-2027) fast approaches. The new CAP is more environmentally rooted and has more support for smaller farms, and these ambitions are reflected in Czechia’s own farming strategic plan, with additional funding going to family-run and small enterprises. Good news, says this sector. Not so good, say the large enterprises, demanding recognition for their contribution to food security. As well as covering these issues with key players, we report from the huge food fair, Breadwinner Land, that annually celebrates Czech agri-production.

Geographical indications: value throughout the EU food system

Protected geographical indications are the jewel in the crown of Europe’s agriculture. The European Union’s system of geographical indications for our continent’s unique heritage of food and drink affords legal protection to certain quality products that demonstrate a traditional link to a territory.

Ukraine: Russia's invasion of Ukraine: is our food security under threat?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine highlighted the dependence of European agriculture on both countries. Before February 24, the European Union imported 30% of the nitrogen fertilizers it uses for its crops from Russia. As for Ukraine, it delivered 30% of the sunflower meal and 9% of the corn intended for our livestock. Soaring energy, fertilizer and feed prices for conventional farms and the risk of shortages: just some of the impacts the geopolitical shock in Ukraine will have on our agriculture. Is our food security threatened? What will happen to the EU's objective of transitioning towards a more sustainable European agriculture? The 16th episode of Food for Europe gives voice to farmers, takes stock of the situation on agricultural markets and looks at the support measures announced by the European Commission, as well as the fears of environmental activists.

Soils in danger: Europe fights back

With around 70 per cent of Europe’s soils in poor health, the European Union has launched the EU Soil Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ to reverse this deterioration and make soils more sustainable across the continent. The European Commission’s effort to coordinate this vital work recognises soil as the essential foundation of our food systems and rural livelihoods, but the strategy also promotes a decentralised, local approach to find solutions that reflect the vast diversity of ecosystems and soils in Europe. Episode 15 of Food for Europe travels to the Aisne départment in northeast France to speak to a cereal farmer making a commitment to conservation agriculture to safeguard the health of his soil. The podcast includes interviews soil experts from institutes in the Netherlands and Italy, an advocate from a leading NGO focusing on soil restoration and the head of unit for research and innovation at the European Commission’s DG AGRI.

EU Organic Awards

This episode of Food for Europe is dedicated to the new EU Organic Awards which will acknowledge different actors of the organic value chain- launch date for applications March 25 – and many of the issues surrounding organic production and consumption. Key speaker is Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, who is joined by the awards partners and leading organic producers:Barbara Altmann (Rapunzel, German organic manufacturer and supplier), Kurt Sannen (Belgian organic livestock farmer and chair of the farmers’ interest group of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, IFOAM), Lone Andersen (Danish organic dairy farmer and a vice-President of the agriculture umbrella body COPA-COGECA), together with Peter Schmidt (President of the European Economic and Social Committee’s Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment section), and Uroš Brežan (Mayor of the small Slovenian town of Tolmin and representing the European Committee of the Regions).

Rurality: Working for a more attractive and prosperous countryside in Europe

As Europe's rural population ages and diminishes in size, Food for Europe looks at the EU's Long Term Vision for Rural Areas. The EU spends around a third of its budget to support farming, but agriculture is just one of many elements that must be present for rural communities to thrive. Digital connectivity, transport networks, public services, shops, schools, healthcare and jobs are all indispensable elements for life in the countryside. The EU's Long Term Vision for Rural Areas therefore looks beyond farming and economics towards a future where more people - especially young people - want to remain, and to move to, rural areas for their attractiveness and prosperity. Some Member States are more advanced than others in protecting and promoting their rural heritage. In this 13th episode of Food for Europe, we travel to the central Italian region of Emilia Romagna to demonstrate the Italian government's efforts - supported by EU rural development funds - to revive and expand opportunities for rural communities. We meet a young producer of the local delicacy, parmigiano reggiano, who chose farming over a legal career, and we meet an architect who’s returned to Italy from London to develop a rural innovation hub in this mountainous region.

France: portrait of an agriculture in transition

The French presidency of the Council of the European Union is an opportunity for Food for Europe to draw a portrait of French agriculture, the largest farming sector in the EU 27. If the sector in France is aging generally, among young people entering it a “return to earth” has become highly fashionable. But with one imperative: to reconcile farming practices with the environment, and on a human scale. The twelfth episode of our series of podcasts dedicated to the world of agriculture in Europe takes you to the Cantal department, in the heart of Auvergne, to meet the farmers of France of today and tomorrow. Low-carbon agriculture, matching of standards between trading partners, implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy: all are the priorities of the French presidency for European agriculture. But how do they line up with the expectations of the sector on the ground?

What about a sustainable Christmas?

The Christmas edition of Food for Europe looks at festive foods and farm products from the perspective of sustainability, tradition and quality. We travel to Charente-Maritimes in France to meet an oyster farmer whose bivalves benefit from an EU Protected Geographical Indication. We meet Julia and Wesley, butchers in Brussels selling slow-growing, forage-feeding turkeys. We hear from master chocolatier Pierre Marcolini as he manages the mad Christmas rush. And we meet Anne-Sophie, who cultivates Christmas trees in the Ardennes.

Food security: is Europe ready to face the next crises?

From day one of the Covid pandemic, the strength of Europe’s food supply lines and delivery systems were tested to the full. At the beginning there were occasional instances of panic buying, but as fears of shortages evaporated these fizzled out. There were moments too where individual member states abandoned the principle of collective action and took matters into their own hands to protect their populations. But ooverall, established supply chains worked well and the trucks kept on rolling. Now, eighteen months on, and after an evaluation of delivery performance, EU leaders have made food security contingency plans in the event of new natural and man-made crises. This tenth episode of Food for Europe looks at the issues at play in creating a plan fit for all events. Like the effects of climate change, cyberattack, earthquake, volcano, crop failure or nuclear accident. The podcast is a journey through a series of questions asking what lessons are to be learned from what went right…and wrong…during the pandemic. How a “first responder” Contingency Forum, involving also European nations outside the EU, might work. How to build resilience and trust in the face of crises. Our guests in this episode include Michael Scannell, Deputy Director General at DG Agri, David Horobin, a seasoned expert in crisis management for several international organisations, and Valentina Zanetti, an Italian dairy farmer and cheese producer who weathered the many storms that Covid brought with it.

WTO: Agriculture: the hot potato at the WTO’s ministerial conference

The World Trade Organisation has been in existence for almost 25 years, and in that quarter-century it’s been written off many times, and despite the stresses and strains of policing global commerce it still survives. But the WTO’s rationale, purpose and capacity are under the microscope as much as ever with the forthcoming ministerial conference, known as MC12, fast approaching. Trade ministers from the WTO’s members will gather in Geneva for four days of intense discussions whose impact will be felt by farmers, food producers and consumers globally. The ninth episode of Food for Europe looks at the European Union’s approach to MC12 from the perspective of trade in food and farm commodities: what’s at stake, the points of contention, and prospects for resolving the disputes hampering the WTO from functioning. After the failure of the last ministerial conference in Buenos Aires in 2017, the WTO’s credibility as the rule-setter and enforcer of global trade is waning, as key stakeholders in the organisation have sought to protect their own farming and food production sectors at the expense of competitors. The EU goes into MC12 seeking further reform of domestic support, or subsidies. Ove the past 20 years the Union has shifted from a system that subsidised production to a system that provides direct income support to farmers. The EU is now looking to others – the United States, India and China included – to cut back on the tens of billions of euros spent on trade-distorting domestic support, which puts EU exporters at a competitive disadvantage. Our guests on this episode include John Clarke and Ignacio Garcia from the Commission’s DG AGRI and DG TRADE respectively, and we also hear from Jean-Marie Paugam, the deputy director-general of the WTO, a member of the new management team leading the organisation into MC12. Our field report comes from Luxlait, a dairy cooperative in Luxembourg that exports its products to the highly competitive markets of China and Africa, and is therefore heavily dependent on a rules-based system that enables fair competition and high standards.

Digital: Digital technology, the farmer's lucky star

Cleaner, leaner, greener practices in Europe’s farm sector are vital if the EU is to reduce Co2 emissions and reach net carbon neutrality by 2050. What does that mean for farmers on the ground? Better land and soil management, more biodiversity and wildlife protection, and pinpoint-accurate sowing, spreading and harvesting techniques. As many farmers across Europe start using the latest data- and satellite-based technologies in the move to precision farming, they’re discovering it saves them time, money and effort. In combination with autonomous machinery, the data driving this transformation is collected and shared by dedicated European satellites, orbiting earth to map water, soil and vegetation cover, trace damaging gases and measure ocean and land topography. Digital agriculture contributes to European targets for better husbandry of the land and environment set in the Green Deal and the reformed Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) coming into force in 2023. In this “Food for Europe” podcast on the Digitalisation of Agriculture we feature one enterprising cereal farmer in Ireland who has seen his yields grow as the time he spends on repetitive tasks in the field declines. We speak to a scientist at the European Space Agency advancing space-based tools for agriculture, and to a cattle breeder in Estonia so digitally wired she monitors the well-being of her livestock from meetings several hundreds of kilometres away.

Farm to fork: opportunities and challenges

The European Union spends around a third of its budget on agriculture and rural development. This commitment enhances Europe’s food security, supports rural livelihoods and drives food standards ever higher. But with our food systems contributing around a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, it’s clear that moving towards a net-zero carbon continent requires a shift from intensive, polluting agriculture towards a sustainable and healthier model. The European Commission’s Farm to Fork strategy is the EU’s proposed roadmap to that destination. Under the umbrella of the Green Deal, it aims to bring together all elements in the food chain in a way that enables Europe’s farmers to continue producing food but enhances our natural environment. In mid-October, the Commission hosted the second annual Farm to Fork conference – an opportunity for stakeholders in every related sector to contribute to the strategy’s development, suggest improvements and outline concerns. The seventh episode of Food for Europe looks at how the Farm to Fork vision is promoting new solutions to old problems at farm level, and how those solutions can sometimes be found from unlikely sources. Our field report comes from an experimental pig farm in Wallonia, Belgium, where the waste from apples that other farmers throw away is being refined to exploit its antimicrobial properties, which in turn limit the need to provide the animals with preventive antibiotics.

CETA: Four years of CETA! A reason to celebrate?

CETA, the ground-breaking EU Canada free trade deal four years on. With success stories now abounding, what are the ground realities for an agreement whose successful conclusion once teetered amid widespread protests and delays? The C in CETA isn’t Canada. It’s comprehensive. That’s what made it different: more modern and more broad-reaching across economic, labour, environmental and climate issues. This is over and above the bricks-and-mortar business of eliminating tariffs on goods and services and opening up new markets on both sides of the Atlantic. So how has it stood the test of time? Albeit quite a short time and one gigantically distorted by the effects of the Covid pandemic? Pretty well, it seems. “We had an increase in exports to Canada in the middle of a recession,” says John Clarke, chief negotiator for DG Agri at CETA and one of the directorate’s directors. This sixth episode of “Food for Europe” features a wide-ranging interview with John Clarke that looks well beyond the controversies of this agreement, to implementation by both sides of climate commitments, sustainable farming and Europe’s food security. We also report from the Beaujolais wine region in France, following producer Philippe Bardet during the collecting and pressing of this year’s grape harvest. He’s delighted to see exports to Canada increase in the past four years, but also concerned about protections for Europe’s celebrated geographical denominations and indications.

Bio: EU organic action plan – what's on the plate?

The EU's recently launched Organic Action Plan sets ambitious goals to boost organic food production and raise organic farming in Europe to 25% of all farmland by 2030. The Action Plan will benefit the environment, biodiversity, animal welfare and contribute significantly to achieving the EU's goals set out in the European Green Deal. It can also be a game changer for thousands of farmers: increased support for organic farming may be the way to safeguard the disappearing small and medium-sized farms, which are unable to compete with industry giants. What does the new Action Plan bring to the table and how can the food and farming sector be strengthened in the future? Find out the answers from the expert discussion in the latest episode of the Food for Europe mini-series on organics.

Bio: An international food market

In the past decade, the demand for organic food has grown exponentially in the EU. The EU has set rigorous criteria for European farmers who want to have their products certified with the EU organic logo, but what rules apply to products imported from non-EU countries? In the fourth episode of the Food for Europe mini-series on organics, Beate Huber, President of the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Europe (FiBL Europe), discusses how the EU ensures that imported organic products meet the EU’s organic criteria and what challenges the EU faces when exporting its own organic products.

Strengthening the EU organic label

Introduced more than 10 years ago, the EU organic logo embodies rigorous organic food production rules. The logo guarantees that at least 95% of a food product’s ingredients are organic. It also confirms that products respect the environment, soil fertility, biodiversity, animal welfare and do not contain chemicals or GMOs. More than half of Europeans recognise the so-called ‘Euro-leaf', a green leaf flanked by 12 stars. Still, how can the EU strengthen its organic label and ensure consumer trust? For the third episode of the Food for Europe podcast, three Members of the European Parliament, Irène Tolleret (FR), Benoît Biteau (FR) and Martin Häusling (DE), discuss the development of the EU organic logo and the challenges ahead.

Building trust in organic farming in Europe

Increasing demand for organic food products across Europe has made it clear that the European Union must help more farmers transition to organic farming and strengthen trust in the EU organics system among consumers. New legislation on organics is set to come into force early next year. What kind of changes and measures will it introduce to strengthen quality organic production in Europe? Listen to our conversation with Director-General of DG AGRI Wolfgang Burtscher and German Green MEP Martin Häusling.

Bio: Introducing Organics

European consumption of organic products has exploded over the last years. Currently, the European Union is ranked second in global organic consumption after the US. By 2030, it aims to convert 25% of farmland to organic. Right now, it is only around 8 %. Is the EU on the right track to building an organic future, and what challenges lie ahead? Listen to the conversation with Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, IFOAM Europe president Jan Plagge, and organic farmer Trevor Harris.