The European Battlefield

Welcome to the Strawman - we’re kinda like compost. Usually full of shit but good for the environment - let’s jump in.

Today, we’re diving into the growing tensions between the EU’s green ambitions and those caught in the crosshairs - farmers. Turns out growing enough food to feed ~750m people in Europe causes emissions; turning that industry green isn’t going to be straightforward.

The EU’s lofty goals

The crux of the EU’s ambitions for the agricultural sector are captured in their “Farm to Fork” initiative. If you look behind the catchy name though, there’s a lot of work to be done. As part of Farm to Fork, farmers are expected to:

• Cut the use of chemical and hazardous pesticides by 50% by 2030

• Reduce fertiliser use by 20% by 2030

• Lower by 50% the sales of antimicrobials for farmed animals and in aquaculture

• Increase the amount of land devoted to organic farming to 25% in 2030 from 9.1% in 2020

• Bigger livestock farms to comply with clean air and water regulations that apply to heavy industry

Farmers are feeling the heat.

Sustainability vs. sustenance

For many farmers, opposing the EU's climate initiatives is a matter of survival. The pressure of multiple policies, vilification by environmental activists, and razor thin margins are taking a toll on the farming community.

The EU's policymakers argue that their measures are in the farmers' best interest in the long run, as climate change and biodiversity loss threaten food security. However, farmers are being squeezed between the environmental demands and supermarkets unwilling to pay a premium for the necessary changes.

For many farmers, agreeing to the Farm to Fork initiative means giving up their livelihoods - the choice is sustainability, or sustenance.

Forkin’ over support

Some argue that the best way to address opposition to the EU's green initiatives is to provide financial support to the farming sector.

Calls for more funding and subsidies for the green transition are growing, with the private sector and several governments joining in.

In Greece, for example, a €525 million fund has been created to help young people take up farming.

While the EU's green transition is necessary, it's clear that farmers need support to play their part.

That’s it for today’s newsletter - if you learnt something new, why not share this with that friend from school you haven’t spoken to in 12 years? Nothing like a newsletter to rekindle a friendship - right?

See ya later,

The Strawman