Author: Farm Europe

THE 6TH EDITION OF THE GLOBAL FOOD FORUM ABOUT TO KICK OFF

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Climate, nutrition, energy: European Agriculture on all fronts’

Brussels, 5 December 2022 – The sixth edition of the Global Food Forum (#GlobalFoodForum22), organised by Farm Europe takes place on this 5th & 6th December at the La Grande Abbaye de La Ramée. Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechoswki, will open the event with Dacian Ciolos, Ettore Prandini, Christiane Lambert, Claus Sauter & Jiří Šír. 

Food, agriculture and vitality of our living areas are more than ever core assets of our society. Their evolution will largely depend on how policies will shape the future. It is precisely in this context that Farm Europe is organizing the sixth edition of the Global Food Forum focusing attention on the theme: “Climate, nutrition, energy: European Agriculture on all fronts”

The geopolitical changes that are happening in our neighborhood, together with the crises affecting strategic sectors, underline the interconnected, yet fragile and fragmented world we live in. The aggression of Russia against Ukraine resonates as a wake up call. The EU has no choice but to rethink its position in the global scene and, to answer to what role does it want for its agri-food sector. The EU must define what a truly European sovereignty means for it, both politically and economically, and the means to achieve it. 

The opening session of the GFF will be the right occasion to set the scene and analyze the broad facets of the agricultural sector in the current and future global context, with eminent speakers from the institutional and economic sectors sharing their vision of the EU and, within it, its agricultural sector.

Within these two days and during two plenary sessions and 5 workshops – covering finance, green transitions, food security, trade, nutrition and sectorial challenges – the event will focus on the best levers to promote the economic and environmental performance of EU agri-food systems while designing the best policy tools to achieve a common ambition at EU level, in particular via the Common Agricultural Policy and the Green New Deal’s proposed Farm to Fork Strategy.

The wrap-up closing session will discuss the vital connection between citizens and agriculture, diets and food products, and how to reconnect Europe with Europeans’ needs.

Full programme here or at  info@farm-europe.eu      

Twitter: @FarmEurope  #GlobalFoodForum2022

More details on the event and press contact : https://www.farm-europe.eu/evenement/global-food-forum-2022/ or at  info@farm-europe.eu

A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE BREEDING IN EUROPE – PART 1: Meat, nutrition and health

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In Europe, livestock farming is at the heart of the public debate. The EU livestock model faces enormous challenges to ensure its economic viability while adapting to increasing societal and environmental demands. The European consumption model is often questioned. Europeans position themselves as one of the highest in the world as far as the consumption of animal products per capita is concerned. European consumption’s reduction of animal products is a widely asked and controversial question in Europe. There are many points of debate on meat consumption: health, nutritional and sanitary aspects; the environmental and climatic impact of production; animal products and competition for resources in a context of strong demographic growth; ethics and animal welfare; etc…

The questions and controversies surrounding meat consumption must be clarified to build a coherent policy framework at the European level.

Certification: dissociating emission reduction and sequestration is an environmental non-sense

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The European Commission presented its proposal for a regulation to establish the basis for carbon removals certification by the agricultural and forestry sectors. This is a key step in establishing a real business model for carbon farming, and therefore in Europe’s ability to reach its emission reduction, storage and carbon neutrality targets. 

There are about 40 identified mitigation actions that can be used in the European agricultural sector. They include emission reduction and carbon sequestration actions that could enable the mitigation of more than 250 Mt CO2eq in the agricultural sector, i.e. nearly 60% of the sector’s current emissions, and make it a carbon neutral or even a net carbon storage sector. 

In the context of a large-scale promotion of mitigation actions to achieve the EU’s climate objectives, dissociating these two types of actions (reduction or sequestration) would lead to environmental nonsense, as there are close links between these two items. The scientific community as well as many actors in the field, who have been involved in low-carbon transition certification models for several years, stress the importance of a complete measurement of the variation of GHG emissions AND carbon storage, in particular in the framework of a Carbon Farming model that aims to be results-oriented and robust at the climate and environmental level.

In this context, the European Commission’s proposal reflects a narrow vision of the potential of carbon farming that would not allow for a real European dynamic, even though time is running out and the potential of agriculture is within reach. This approach will need to be rebalanced by the European Parliament and the Council in order to lay the foundations for a certification model that meets the challenges. 


UP NEXT! – GLOBAL FOOD FORUM 2022

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Farm Europe is happy to invite you to the next edition of the Global Food Forum, titled ‘Climate, nutrition, energy: European Agriculture on all fronts’.

This event will feature 5 working sessions around some of the most relevant topics for today’s EU agri-food sector. Themes include the current and future financement of agriculture, the environmental & energy transition ahead, international trade, food security, as well as nutrition. Policies such as the CAP & the Farm to Fork Strategy will be extensively discussed to find common ways out of the ongoing multifold crises.

Take a look at the sneak peek of our confirmed speakers, which includes the Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski!

Click here to register for the event!

Global Food Forum 2022

See here the lists of notes:

Financing agriculture:

CAP budget & inflation

State aid

Sustainability:

Farm to Fork – timeline

Carbon farming

Fertilizers Strategy

Sustainable use of pesticides

Imported deforestation

Nutrition:

JRC analyses on the revision of FIC regulation

EU school schemes

Strategic autonomy:

EU strategic autonomy (CESE)

HOW AUTONOMOUS IS THE EU ENERGY SYSTEM?

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Last Friday marked the end of COP27. While the objective of keeping global heating below 1.5C was reiterated, the global conference failed to deliver on a commitment by the world’s major emitters to phase down fossil fuels.

The energy sector, responsible for more than two-thirds of global greenhouse emissions, is mainly powered by fossil fuels. According to the International Renewable Agency (IRENA), only 29% of global electricity generation currently comes from renewables, and carbon emissions continue an upward trend.

So, how is the EU performing in terms of renewables?

In 2020 the EU produced 42% of its total energy supply. Of this 42%, only 41% came from renewable energy sources — representing 22% of our overall energy needs. RepowerEU’s ambition aims at becoming independent from Russia’s gas and oil while maintaining our current economic production and reducing our climate footprint. This intention will entail the replacement of 25% of our total energy consumption with alternative sources, which seems on the way steadily as winter approaches despite the scale of the challenge.

In this context, it must become a priority for the Renewable Energy Directive and EU Member States to promote bioenergy sources produced in full synergy with food production rather than restrict them. Indeed, limiting bioenergy production means limiting European energy autonomy. The further limitation would generate an additional threat to the EU energy supply and increased reliance on imported fossil sources — meaning overall higher emissions.

Biomass-based energy amounts to 57% of the renewable energy domestically produced in Europe, making it almost 10% of the total European energy supply. In comparison, all other renewable energy sources combined make up only 7%, making it unrealistic to fill the necessary energy supply gap in the short run without biomass. Only nuclear represents a bigger « Made in Europe » energy provider (in need of imported Uranium). 

Therefore, instead of limiting the activities of EU biorefineries, which would increase energy imports from other countries, causing the Union to become more and more dependent on foreign actors and fossil fuels, European should further encourage this sector, optimising carbon cycles. 


To meet the 45% renewable energy target by 2030 – as adopted by the European Parliament this week – it is now the time to increase energy production from ALL renewable energy sources. A greener and more independent Europe cannot materialise by betting on a single “magic wand” solution. Shaping a sustainable and diversified energy mix shall be the way forward, with a strong biofuels (liquid and gas) component for all sectors, including the most complex to decarbonise like transports.

Fertilisers: a responsible strategy proposed in record time by the Commission

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On November 9th, the European Commission presented its proposal for a European strategy on fertilisers. 

Prepared in record time by its agricultural services, it addresses both concerns on this subject – availability and price – and correctly points out to its most important issues.

The proposal states that if gas use is restricted, gas for fertiliser production should become a priority. Of course, the Commission does not have the power at this stage to impose priorities or reductions on Member States. This could happen in the future through a new energy crisis regulation. However, by already proposing such a strong course of action, the Commission’s position is of valuable help to the sector and a reminder of the strategic importance of food security and food sovereignty for the European Union.

With this document, the Commission also opens the possibility for Member States to mobilise unused money from the recovery fund or national funding (state aid) to support farmers and fertiliser producers. This funding could not only be directed to fertiliser production and use, but also to help farmers invest in new technologies and technical routes to reduce input use. In this context, it refers to the interest of working on crop rotations, combining legumes and investing in precision agriculture.

The Commission also notes that a rapid and generalized reduction in the use of fertilisers would entail a risk of immediate yield reduction. This observation is true, but it is interesting and should encourage European Commission leaders to put their proposals for a 20% reduction in fertiliser use, in the context of the Farm to Fork strategy, into perspective. 

The reduction in fertiliser purchases by farmers this summer (-20%) may already have a negative impact on the 2023 harvest. The question is whether European soils have sufficient high levels of N P K to support lower fertilisation without affecting the harvest, at least for one season. This is doubtful, as fertilisation has a cost and the most economical use was sought even before the Ukrainian crisis. A reduction outside the framework of the above-mentioned investments may result in a decrease of production potential.

Farm to fork newsletter: the fertilizer headache

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In the midst of the price and energy crisis and the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the food market, the Commission is about to publish a communication on fertilizers (on November 9th). According to some rumors, the Commission will call on national capitals to ensure supplies of gas for fertilizers manufacturers, and encourage to use the agricultural crisis reserve. At the same time, coming from the latest Council meeting, most of the 27 ministers of agriculture agreed on the importance of manure-made fertilizers and asked for legal flexibilities on the current nitrate legislation. 

On animal welfare, while EFSA published some guidelines on the welfare of animals on transportation, stressing that transport should be short and that deep cleaning of the vehicle should be done, the German minister for agriculture is proposing a bill for a mandatory animal welfare label which might cause market distortion issues, critics argue.The European Commission, on the same topic, published an overview of the achievements and challenges of the current Animal welfare legislation, concluding that the current setting has improved the welfare of many EU animals including their protection during transport and slaughter.

full note available on FE Members’ area

LIVESTOCK IN THE EU – A DECLINING MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCTION

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The European Commission’s short-term outlook – Autumn 2022 edition – shows that production of meat and dairy products in the European Union is expected to decline this year, and the following one. 

Persistently high feed costs and African swine fever (ASF) continue to limit the growth of EU pigmeat production.

Beef production is expected to decline by -0.6% in 2022, mainly due to structural adjustment in the beef and dairy sector, despite high prices. 

New records in Europe of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), and a persistent virus in wild birds continue to impact the poultry sector. 

Signs of declining livestock production warn of limited supplies which could exacerbate the high food inflation in Europe. The historic drought has reduced the availability of grass and feed (especially maize), thereby increasing costs for farms, which are also faced with soaring energy and fertiliser prices.

In view of a review of animal welfare legislation the Commission has published a “Fitness Check” which gives an overview of the achievements and challenges of current animal welfare legislation. 

The European Scientific Committee of the Nutri-score has published an update of the algorithm which is supposed to be more “consistent” and “aligned” with nutritional and public health recommendations. These changes propose a more severe rating for certain foods, including meat. 

The European Parliament voted in mid-September to extend the list of agricultural products covered by the future new anti-deforestation law to include maize, poultry and pork. 

According to the World Climate Report, methane emissions are overestimated, with cattle producing 3 to 4 times less carbon dioxide than assumed. 

The Swiss initiative “No to intensive livestock farming in Switzerland” was rejected by 63%. 

full note available on FE Members’ area

More than €4.6 billion of national crisis measures in 2022

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A fragmented internal market

The outbreak of the Russian war in Ukraine not only has sent shockwaves through the energy sector, but also through the agricultural sector in particular via an explosion in energy costs, as well as an increase in input costs, primarily in nitrogen fertilizers. 

To address this situation, the European Commission announced in March the activation of the crisis reserve, provided in the Common Agricultural Policy, of around 500 million euros — a historic first as this tool, created in 2013, had never been used until now. 

At the same time, the European Commission has announced the possibility for Member States to largely top up this support for the agricultural sector through national aid: 

  • by authorizing the Member States to finance the aid from the crisis reserve on a 2:1 basis from national funds, i.e. 1 billion euros;
  • by validating national aid programs under the temporary crisis framework on state aid in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with a ceiling that should now be raised to 250.000 euros per farm. 

At the same time, the ceiling for de minimis aid, national aid that can be implemented without prior authorization from the Commission, has been raised to EUR 25,000 over 3 years. 

Member States have made an extensive use of these flexibilities. 

The European Commission has been notified of nearly 20 programs dedicated to agriculture for 2022, for a total amount of nearly EUR 4 billion. This represents a 10% of direct aid amounts. Part of this aid — about a third – has been mobilized to deal with the surge in fertilizer prices, through a very uneven geographical and sectoral distribution. 

From Italy to Sweden, Poland, Austria and Bulgaria, considerable financial volumes have been released, going far beyond the inflation recorded within these countries, and thus providing more than a simple compensation for the economic loss linked to inflation and the related loss of value of direct payments for their farmers. This clear support to agriculture is not found in other Member States, thus creating severe distortions.

A second group of countries including the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Estonia, Slovenia and Hungary have compensated partially the chock, without making agriculture one of the key sectors assisted as a priority in the face of the crisis linked to the war in Ukraine.

Finally, a third group of Member States, which sometimes have also been hit hard by the crisis, have not been able to provide significant support to their agricultural sector for political or budgetary reasons. This is notably the case of the Czech Republic, Greece, Belgium and Denmark. 

These figures — although already considerable — only give a very partial view of the real aid granted by the various Member States, which goes well beyond the strictly agricultural programs notified within the framework of the TCF.

On the one hand, it should be noted that more than €450 billion of state aid have been granted through framework programs intended for the economy as a whole to deal with the war in Ukraine and which also concern the agricultural sector. This does not include the €200 billion program already announced by Germany.

In total, in one year, this is almost the total amount of the European emergency aid to deal with COVID, which has already been released by EU countries in a scattered manner, instead of a well coordinated programme European level. 

In addition to the almost €4 billion of aid targeted at the agricultural sector in the context of the war in Ukraine, there is also state aid that paid to agriculture under the residual programs related to the Covid-19 pandemic. €850 million was released in the year 2022, an intensity of state aid of 12% the amount of the first pillar. For a fair analysis, the 25 billion euros released by the Netherlands as part of its national agricultural transition plan, i.e. 2 billion euros per year, should also be mentioned. 

In order to avoid severe economic distorsions — in parallel to the much need and legitimate support to the agricultural sector confronted with a serious crisis — there is an urgent need to reflect on the multiplication of aid at national level, rather than at Community level, for a sector covered by a strong common policy. The crisis reserve has shown both its usefulness and its inadequate budgetary allocation on the scale of the European Union in case of a shock affecting all agricultural sectors. 

The lack of budgetary margin within the CAP requires an in-depth reflection on the modalities of action to face crises, even more at a time where the new CAP provides further flexibilities. As shown by the scale of financial volumes currently released at national level, a very clear upward revaluation of the crisis reserve is necessary so that it can be the main lever of solidarity for the European agricultural sector, combining reactivity and equity, both between Member States and between agricultural sectors.