EU Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development Phil Hogan today (April 20th) stated that his top priority in the ongoing EU budget negotiation is "protecting the small and medium sized farmer who remains the backbone of Europe's food production and rural communities".

Food supply chains differ in size and number of operators but are rarely to the advantage of the farmers. Their negotiating power is usually weaker than bigger elements of the chain, such as retailers, and this can result in the value throughout the supply chain not being adequately distributed.  With about...

The LIFE project Oreka Mendian (2016-2021) aims to develop a common strategy for the conservation and the management of mountain pasture environments located in Natura 2000 areas in the Basque Country. A member of Euromontana, the HAZI foundation, is directly involved in the project as coordinator, alongside Euromontana. Euromontana is responsible...

Rail Baltica, the largest infrastructure project of the century in the Baltic region, plans to integrate the Baltic States with the European rail network. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019. Crossing through farmlands, the project challenges rural livelihoods and puts the competitive agriculture of the Baltics at risk. Organized by...

Co-published by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the CIHEAM, the Watch letter n ° 40 "Strengthening the role of women in rural and agricultural areas - Obstacles and opportunities" aims to show different perspectives of the situation in the Mediterranean region by analyzing the challenges and opportunities in the socio-economic, social, environmental,...

Given the many threats to the Earth’s water supply, the role of forests has never been more important. The role of forest ecosystems in preserving water quality is largely underestimated. To ensure healthy water, strategies for optimizing purification, regulating surface flows and controlling erosion will increasingly need to be a part...

A number of positive changes – including improved rural policies, strengthened value chains, sustainable management of natural resources and environmentally friendly agricultural practices – are expected to help Georgia’s agricultural producers become more competitive while reducing the contributions of agricultural production to climate change. These are among the objectives of a...

Freshwater ecosystems accommodate 40 percent of the world’s fish species and contribute directly to the food security of rural households. With 11.47 million tonnes per year, inland fisheries account for 12 percent of the global fish catch, according to the latest numbers from the FAO. Still, the sector has not unleashed...

Social media networks are increasing in popularity and have been integrated into many aspects of daily life. Analysis of the ways in which individuals use social media is important for understanding social, cultural, and environmental issues. This study examines experiences of farmers’ market customers through their self-expression on social networks....

Press Release following Copa and Cogeca's meeting during which our members have agreed on the common position on the future of food and farming

Reflections from Copa and Cogeca Working Party on Fruit and Vegetables on the future of the community aid scheme for the producer organizations in the sector  

Social movements have become central actors in the battles that are re-framing contemporary food markets in a variety of organizational and institutional configurations. With the aim of understand this process, this article contrasts the experiences of Nature & Progrès (France) and Ecovida Agroecology Network (Brazil). These movements are changing organic...

The European Commission proposes to modernise and simplify the common agricultural policy, giving greater flexibility and responsibility to European Union countries implementing the policy on the ground.

The non-production requisite on land lying fallow for farmers under crop diversification and/ or ecological focus area requirements have been lifted in eight EU member states for 2018. A severe drought significantly affected agricultural activities, especially in relation to animal feed resources, in those countries.

Farming in the EU is poised on the brink of change with the CAP 2020 negotiations in full swing. Young farmers face an uncertain future in a rapidly evolving sector. While agriculture in the EU strives to be dynamic, it continues to encounter difficulties. One of the most important hurdles for...

The newsletter of March 2018 includes:The Mediterranean team pursues with the preparation works in the view of Malta in September, The BANS project celebrates its closure with well-attended event in Brussels, Other news from around the EU, News from our members and Press review

Milan Kouřil, Operational Group coordinator, says that climate change is impacting the quality of grasslands in the Czech Republic: “There has been a change in the composition of grasslands (and indirectly on microbiological soil activity), increased photosynthetic activity and a longer growing season.” Milan is part of an Operational Group...

Wild bees and other pollinators play an essential part in agriculture, but as in many places, farming practices have contributed to their declining numbers. Six Welsh dairy farmers have set up an Operational Group aiming to boost pollinator populations. It will look at innovative management options in grass-based livestock farming,...

Fisheries Ministers, the European Commission, GFCM-FAO, and key stakeholders including WWF will meet in Malta for the official adoption of the Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea (RPOA-SSF). This will demonstrate the strong political commitment to ensure a sustainable future for the sector. ...

The purpose of the symposium is to share and discuss issues affecting the sustainability of small-scale fisheries (SSF) in Europe and explore linkages to global SSF, especially through markets and stewardship efforts.