Europe

How Farmer Protests Across Europe Played a Role in the Recent EU Elections

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 20:59:23 GMT

Farmer protests across Europe are heating up again leading up to the elections in Europe, and the outcome of the European Parliament elections over the weekend sent a clear message. One agricultural economist says it’s not just frustrations from farmers that fueled the election results. It’s also EU voters who are worried about the cost of environmental reforms.

The issue has been brewing for the past year, with farmer protests showing the frustration.

“Things have been slowly coming to the boil over the last 12 months or so. But really, the origins of all this are traceable back to when the last European Commission came into place, which was in 2019,” says Trevor Donnellan, who is the head of economics at the Rural Economy Research Centre based in Ireland.

After the 2019 election, and the Green Party become more dominant, the push to fast-track climate policies and regulation was swift.

“European environmental policy around agriculture is significant. That’s the first thing people in the us need to understand, and it is becoming more significant,” he says. Regulation around things like greenhouse gas emissions is becoming an issue regulation around water quality, the usage of fertilizers, what we do with animal waste, these are all becoming more serious issues.”

Related Story: Why Farmers Are Protesting In Europe

In Donnellan’s own country of Ireland, agriculture is required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2030. He says for a country that has a large dairy and beef production footprint, that could require farmers to reduce their herd size to reach such a lofty goal.

In the Netherlands, environmental policy has already forced livestock producers to get rid of animals, even pushing some farmers out of business.

Those increased regulations are what propelled farmer protests over the past year. The scene drew international attention with farmers using tractors to block traffic on major highways across Europe, to even protesting outside the parliament, and it’s those protests that sent a loud message ahead of the elections.

“The protests, I think, have been significant in making politicians and the general public aware of the importance of taking into account the farmer perspective in setting all these regulations,” says Donnellan.

Related Story: Exploring the Root Causes of Global Farmer Protests Against Ag Policies

That message was apparently on the minds of voters this past weekend as the 27-nation bloc’s parliament membership shifted to the right. The surge by Nationalist and Populist parties will make it much harder for the assembly to approve legislation on issues ranging from climate change to agriculture policy.

“When we look at it in terms of what it might mean, for agriculture, the kind of political perspective in this new parliament has moved a little bit further to the right, which probably is a little bit more aligned with the interests of farmers. And farming is very important. In the context of the European Union, it’s one of the reasons why the European Union was created in the first place,” Donnellan explains.

He says that could mean less of an emphasis on green issues than what the EU has seen dominate policy the past 5 year.

“Looking at it from an agricultural point of view, it could mean that the pace of change in terms of pushing the environmental regulation could maybe slow down a little bit, or there might be a little bit of a rethink on some aspects of it. But it’s probably a parliament that might be a little bit more sympathetic to the concerns of farmers than the one that has just come to an end,” he adds.

Related Story: Will Europe’s Farmer Protests Make Their Way To The U.S.?

While it’s not clear exactly what will happen with EU climate policy in the years ahead, Donnellan says what’s happening in Europe is setting an example for the rest of the world.

“That might sound a little bit grand, but that’s kind of the thinking behind this politically in that Europe will demonstrate to the rest of the world what’s achievable in terms of having an more environmentally compliant economy, including in agriculture, and that the rest of the world should potentially follow suit from a policy perspective in the future,” he says.

EU Sees Lower Meat and Dairy Output as Weather and Disease Weigh

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 16:24:55 GMT

Meat and dairy production in the European Union is expected to decline this year and next as livestock farms feel the effects of drought, disease outbreaks and rising costs, the EU’s executive said on Wednesday.

A historic drought in Europe this summer has reduced availability of grass and maize to feed herds, increasing costs for farms also facing soaring energy and fertiliser prices.

Signs of dwindling livestock output have led farming groups to warn of tight supplies that could exacerbate high food inflation.

EU milk production is projected to fall 0.5% this year, with reduced forage supply encouraging some farmers to cut herd sizes and hot, dry weather reducing cows’ milk yields, the European Commission said in a short-term agriculture outlook.

The harsh summer weather also curbed fat and protein content in milk for processed dairy products, it said.

Like other observers, the Commission said early 2023 could prove difficult as dairy farmers face high feed costs during winter while consumer demand may weaken due to inflation.

For next year as a whole, it forecast a smaller 0.2% decrease in EU milk output. Assumed higher yields in normal weather mostly offset a decline in cow numbers, which were seen falling 0.8% after a 0.9% drop forecast for 2022.

For beef, feed costs were expected to reinforce a longer-term decline in herd numbers and contribute to a 0.6% drop in production this year before a smaller 0.2% decrease in 2023.

In addition to rising feed costs, the pork and poultry sectors have been weakened by outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) and avian influenza, or bird flu.

Pork output was forecast to fall 5% this year, notably due to a steep drop in Germany which has been badly affected by ASF, and then by 0.7% in 2023.

The poultry sector, disrupted by a bird flu crisis that is threatening to re-emerge, was expected to see production decline by 0.9% in 2022 and 0.4% in 2023.

(Reporting by Gus ; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Best of British: Bacon that is

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 15:23:26 GMT

Is British bacon different from American bacon?

And if so, why?

That’s just one of the questions answered in this light-hearted glide show about a trip abroad to the United Kingdom by one of the Pork staff.

Click the image below to explore central England and then be prepared to have your mouth water at photos of delicious bacon, English style … think Gammon.

John Phipps: Is the Outrage By Dutch Farmers Now Being Heard by the World Enough to Prevent Policy Changes?

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 22:15:26 GMT

As if record-breaking heat wasn’t enough to trigger tempers, Europe and especially the Netherlands have been dealing with an increasingly incendiary political situation pitting the country’s farmers against EU government plans to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030.

The major target is nitrous oxides, of which agriculture contributes about half. But Dutch farmers, who are an ag exporting power behind only the U.S., contend the efforts will force many producers out of business – perhaps as many as 30 percent. This may be conservative.

Protests, which began three years ago, have intensified with tractor blockades of major roads and city centers. In addition, farmers are demanding more positive media coverage, and predictably, more government aid.

Related news: Dutch Farmers Are Protesting A Government Policy Canada and Ireland are Now Proposing, Is The U.S. Next?

They also are pointing fingers of blame at other EU countries and companies like Shell and Tata Steel. Unusual for Europe, a few shots have been fired by police at protestors, but most demonstrations were relatively orderly, if angry. All this resentment and outrage by farmers faces two formidable hurdles to resolution.

The first is the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) whose large subsidies to agriculture has made them economically dependent. Now the series of heat waves which have been scorching the continent with growing frequency over the last two decades, is setting all-time records this summer across Europe.

With environmental political parties in the Greens possessing considerable clout, and not enough air-conditioning, public opinion has not been overwhelmingly sympathetic to farmers. Dutch farmers are noted for their professional and business skill, but due to their intense management, the carrying capacity for livestock like dairy cows in their country has likely been met or even exceeded. It’s why you see Dutch emigres operating all over the world, including the U.S.

While the Dutch protests have attracted the most attention, the EU emissions proposals threaten farmers across the bloc. Given the economics and politics of this debate, however, a difficult transition for producers seems inevitable.

Pork Industry Calls EAT-Lancet Report Radical, Irresponsible

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:07:34 GMT

A report issued by a European non-profit suggests drastic limits on meat and dairy consumption will improve the world’s health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).

On Thursday, a group called the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health will begin launching events over the next month in five cities around the globe (Oslo, Jakarta, Melbourne, New York and Rome) to promote its new report on health and environmental sustainability.

“The EAT-Lancet report is based on dubious science and is irresponsible,” the National Pork Producers Council says.

The report’s concerns include sustainability and undernutrition. However, EAT-Lancet’s recommendations to reduce meat, dairy and egg consumption would be counterproductive to both of these concerns, the National Pork Producers Council adds.

“U.S. farmers and ranchers lead the world in efficient practices that deliver unmatched nutrition while conserving natural resources and decreasing environmental impact. The EAT-Lancet Commission ignores evidence of meat and dairy’s contributions to healthy, sustainable diets. The Commission’s radical recommendations to drastically limit meat and dairy consumption would have serious, negative consequences for the health of people and the planet,” says Kay Johnson Smith, President and CEO of the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

Smith says the EAT-Lancet recommendations to eat just a quarter ounce of beef per day and drink just one cup of milk risks worsening malnutrition, increasing food waste and distracting from the highest priorities for addressing GHGs.

“The science about the best path forward is clear – meat and dairy are critical to high-quality nutrition, less food waste, and efficient use of our precious natural resources,” Smith says.

The report also favors a meat tax, a tactic that animal activists have been promoting for some time.

Pork’s Nutritive Value is Undeniable

Ample scientific evidence supports the nutritive value of meat, including pork, which has critical vitamins and minerals, such as B12, Heme iron, zinc and potassium. These often are lacking in many diets, particularly in developing countries.

The recommendations made by the EAT-Lancet Commission are based on modeling data, not clinical trials that can demonstrate cause and effect, says Adria Huseth, manager of nutrition communications and research at the National Pork Board. Research has consistently demonstrated that one food or dietary pattern does not cause a health or environmental risk.

Huseth says consumption survey analysis shows the average intake of meat and meat equivalents (meat, poultry, fish, eggs and legumes) is 5.3 ounces per day. Nearly 60% of the U.S. population is consuming the Protein Food Group at or below recommended intake levels – pork only contributes 6% of total calories (based on 2,000 calories/day).

“Dietary patterns that emphasize nutrient-dense foods can help optimize nutrition,” Huseth says. “Animal proteins, like lean meat, are complete proteins, offering all of the essential amino acids our bodies need, whereas most plant-based protein sources are not – making animal proteins efficient and effective protein foods for all life stages.”

Lean meats, like pork, also provide other essential nutrients such as vitamin B-12.

“Eliminating meat from peoples’ diets puts them at a higher risk of deficiency because they cannot get B-12 from plant sources,” she adds. “Instead of focusing on what foods to eliminate, we – collectively – should help people eat more nutrient-dense foods, eliminate food waste and create behavior change that is beneficial for human health and that of the planet.”

Animal Ag Alliance Vice President of Communications Hannah Thompson-Weeman says the report’s recommended diet would limit pork consumption to around a quarter ounce per day and dairy to around one glass of milk per day and dramatically increase consumption of beans, nuts and other plant-based proteins.

According to the Animal Agriculture Alliance website, it would take five cups of red beans to equal the calcium absorbed from one cup of milk.

Pork Production is More Sustainable Than Ever

America’s pig farmers are producing a product that has become increasingly sustainable over the past five decades, reports a new study from the University of Arkansas.

According to the study, A Retrospective Assessment of U.S. Pork Production: 1960 to 2015, the inputs needed to produce a pound of pork in the U.S. became more environmentally friendly over time. Specifically, 75.9% less land is needed today, 25.1% less water and 7.0% less energy. This also resulted in a 7.7% smaller carbon footprint.

These environmental improvements were achieved while the production of pork more than doubled, increasing to 25 billion pounds in 2017 from about 11 billion in 1960.

“Consumers may be surprised at how much progress America’s pig farmers have made in sustainability over the years,” says Steve Rommereim, National Pork Board president and a pig farmer from Alcester, S.D. “We not only want them to know that we’ve got a good track record, but that we’re not satisfied with the status quo. We plan to use the information to produce an even more sustainable product in the future.”

Animal agriculture is responsible for just 4% of total U.S. GHGs, with pork production being about one-third of 1%, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“Wrongly focusing on restricting diets distracts from the highest environmental priority – the burning of fossil fuels, which is responsible for a large portion of global greenhouse gas emissions,” says Brett Kaysen, assistant vice president of sustainability for the National Pork Board. “It is not true that animal agriculture produces more greenhouse gas than transportation, a frequently-cited but mistaken claim.”

Production efficiencies have dramatically reduced the carbon footprint of modern livestock farming and ranching, Kaysen adds.

“Modern U.S. livestock agriculture is a tremendous example of how the world can produce the nutritious, safe food people need while contributing less GHGs per calorie of food,” says NPPC President Jim Heimerl, a pork producer from Ohio. “The U.N. has said there are ‘limitations to emissions reductions in the agriculture sector particularly because of … providing food for a global population that is expected to continue to grow’ and that ‘it would be reasonable to expect emissions reductions in terms of improvements in efficiency rather than absolute reductions in GHG emissions.’

“To address sustainability and undernourishment,” Heimerl adds, “maybe the report’s authors should call on the European Union to drop its Draconian ‘precautionary principle’ that all-but prevents the use of new technologies and modern production practices. It’s those kinds of restrictions that are forcing farmers around the world to forego using scientifically proved technologies that produce more food and in a more environmentally friendly way.”

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