EU flags in front of the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. (Jorisvo/iStock/Getty Images)

EU parliament committee approves farm subsidy reforms

Brussels | Reuters — The European Parliament’s agriculture committee on Thursday approved a deal to overhaul the European Union’s huge farming subsidies, including new measures aimed at making agriculture greener. The committee approved three pieces of legislation, which from 2023 will govern spending from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) — a scheme that will

EU flags in front of the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. (Jorisvo/iStock/Getty Images)

EU countries approve deal to overhaul farming subsidies

Subsidies to focus on sustainability, 'eco-schemes'

Brussels | Reuters — European Union countries on Monday gave the green light to reforms of the bloc’s huge farming subsidy program, after a three-year battle over rules to make it greener and support smaller farms. Negotiators representing the EU’s 27 countries and European Parliament struck the deal on Friday to reform the Common Agricultural


A traditional stone barn in Swaledale, Yorkshire. (JayKay57/Getty Images)

Britain outlines post-Brexit farm policy in bill

London | Reuters –– Britain will introduce legislation on Wednesday for agricultural policy after it leaves the European Union that will link support for farmers to the provision of public benefits such as tackling climate change or preserving beautiful landscapes. The Agriculture Bill, primarily covering England, will provide the basis for policy in a sector

The Union Jack flag next to Big Ben against a clear blue sky.

CETA has one foot in the grave

The Brexit vote may have derailed Canada’s best chance to embrace its status as a trading nation

CETA is not dead, but it’s close. Since the Brexit vote, Europe is a mess. The pound is dropping, markets are scrambling, and most are wondering how the political establishment will address what appears to be a constitutional vacuum related to exiting member-states. It just speaks to how ill prepared the union was to such


France’s Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll says “nearly 10 per cent” of the country’s livestock operations “are on the verge of going bankrupt.” (Agriculture.gouv.fr)

France says livestock crisis putting thousands of farms at risk

Paris | Reuters –– A downturn in France’s livestock sector has put thousands of farms close to bankruptcy, the government said Friday, as it seeks to contain a crisis that has undermined a flagship pledge to improve the livelihood of livestock producers. Farmers say a deteriorating international market, marked by a Russian food embargo, slowing

German farmers balk at free trade with U.S.

A planned free trade agreement between the European Union and United States should not completely liberalize agricultural trade, the president of the association of German farmers’ association DBV said March 26. Trade talks must involve upper limits to exports to prevent market disruption, Joachim Rukwied told Reuters. Brussels and Washington hope to start negotiations in


Larger farms face five per cent EU subsidy cut for 2013

Reuters / Farmers who receive more than 5,000 euros a year in European Union subsidies will see payments above that level cut by five per cent this year, to bring farm spending in line with proposed EU budget cuts. The European Commission will propose the move after its forecasts showed that farm subsidies for 2013,

Europe fears cutting farm aid will see remote areas wither

Reducing farm supports and moving toward a more market-oriented farm policy is raising fears that remote communities will wither, according to a member of the European Parliament’s agriculture committee. “There are genuine fears about land abandonment, village decline and a lack of young people in remote parts of the EU,” said Mairead McGuinness. Policies such



Farm subsidies still get top share of EU austerity budget

France and other major farming nations thwarted 
attempts to shift farm spending to growth and jobs

Farm subsidies will continue to gobble up the biggest share of the European Union’s budget to 2020, despite a 13 per cent drop in future agricultural spending, under a deal struck by EU leaders Feb. 8. Agriculture’s budget supremacy was secured after France and other major farming nations thwarted attempts by Britain and its northern