Reviewing Fisheries Law in Europe

Growing world populations continue to increase demand for food resources. Fisheries are an extremely important source of protein for much of the world. Better management is critical in order to prevent collapse of this extremely important resource.

European Fisheries Law Undergoes Review

by Ben Block on September 24, 2008

After a recent series of unsavory news reports, the European Commission has announced that its fisheries policy may need to be overhauled due to continued ecological decline and unsustainable fishing practices.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg announced a laundry list of flaws with the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in a statement released last week. "In its current form, the CFP does not encourage responsible behavior by either fishermen or politicians," Borg said.

In response, the Commission...(complete article here).

EU Cereal Harvest Projections

We may see U.S. yields down significantly. This is important news.

Annual crop yield forecast: European Commission foresees above average cereals harvest for 2008

EU Farm Tariff Cuts

Subsidies are an impairment to free trade.


EU offers to cut farm tariffs 60 percent

By BRADLEY S. KLAPPER
Associated Press Writer

GENEVA (AP) -- The European Union said Monday it would be willing to slash farm tariffs by 60 percent as part of a new global trade pact, the deepest cut it has ever offered.
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson told reporters at...(complete article here).

Re-thinking OECD Bio-fuels.

Countries are re-thinking biofuel policies -- and well they should. Unintended consequences of existing policies have created havoc. It is time to change course -- especially concerning corn-based ethanol.

Biofuel policies in OECD countries costly and ineffective, says report

16/07/2008 - Government support of biofuel production in OECD countries is costly, has a limited impact on reducing greenhouse gases and improving energy security, and has a significant impact on world crop prices, according to a new study of policies to promote greater production and use of biofuel in OECD countries.

OECD’s Economic Assessment of Biofuel Support Policies says biofuels are currently highly dependent on public funding to be viable. In the US, Canada and the European Union government support for the supply and use of biofuels is expected to rise to around USD 25 billion per year by 2015 from about USD 11 billion in 2006. The report estimates that biofuel support costs...(complete article here).

EU Pesticed Controls

The EU continues down the path of reactionary measures to the "screeching" of the extreme environmentalists and MSM fear-mongering. Without clear scientific evidence, they will eliminate the use of many pesticides and limit the use of others. The result will be lower crop yields which will further increase the price of food. The question is NOT will people die of pesticide poisoning or die of hunger -- but it could be will they die of hunger because of irrational fears that pesticide use "might" harm the environment.

EU to tighten pesticide controls

Good stewardship of our resources should be for the benefit of mankind -- NOT for the self-interests of an elite few.

EU Farm Subsidy Reforms

I find it interesting that the EU is attempting to dismantle farm subsidies at the same time the U.S. is attempting the same. (Does One World Order come to mind?)

EU shake-up on farming subsidies

The EU has unveiled a plan for reform of its Common Agricultural Policy, the rural payments system that costs more than 40bn euros (£32bn) a year.

The proposals are aimed at making farmers more responsive to...(complete article here).

EU Biofuels Criteria

Regulate it to death....

EU sets tough criteria for green biofuels

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Biofuels used in the European Union will have to provide a real saving in greenhouse gas emissions of at least one-third compared to fossil fuels and meet other criteria, the EU's energy chief said on Wednesday.

European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs told...(complete article here).

EU Has Second Thoughts on Biofuels Mandates

The EU is having second thoughts about the wisdom of biofuels mandates. As in most politically motivated decisions, we will likely see a pendulum effect -- i.e. go to far one way and then overreact and go to far the other way, etc. When they examine the economic impact on poor people, I hope they look at the overall potential for raising living standards for those who are producing the biofuels. I also hope they look at the jobs created. It's a complicated mess no matter how you look at it -- something about the "law of unintended consequences...."

EU to toughen environment criteria for biofuels

By Paul Taylor

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is to set tougher environmental criteria for biofuels after acknowledging that the drive for transport fuels produced from crops has done unforeseen damage, the European Commission said on Monday.

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said in a BBC interview the EU had initially underestimated the danger to rainforests and the risk of forcing up food prices from its policy of setting binding targets for the use of biofuels.

"We have seen that the...(complete article here).

EU Fishing Quotas

Progress? -- maybe.

EU countries strike deal on 2008 fishing quotas

By Jeremy Smith

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU countries struck a deal for 2008 catch quotas on Wednesday, watering down the European fisheries chief's proposals for the preservation of species whose stocks are floundering at precariously low levels.

After hours of haggling through the night, the bloc's 27 fisheries ministers accepted a series of concessions offered by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm.

As ever cod occupied top place on the ministerial agenda and quotas will...(complete story here).

A New Blog for my Blogroll

I am adding a new link to my blogroll today. It is to the blog of Mariann Fischer Boel. She is the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. Often in the U.S. we become focused on our "micro-world" and forget that agriculture is universal. It is interesting to see the views of others around the world.

EU Farm Subsidy Reform

Any time that a body of lawmakers starts tinkering with farm programs I cringe. I am not a big fan of subsidies, however, the subsidy tools in place in most countries are necessary for a number of reasons: 1) food security - price supports are sometimes necessary to insure that farmers survive and can produce, 2) national security - a country that imports all of its food is at the mercy of the nations from which it imports and 3) land use - influencing land use for sustainability and environmental stewardship can be done through subsidies.


EU to reform its farm subsidies

By Dominic Laurie Europe
business reporter, BBC News, Brussels

The EU Commission has proposed reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which eats up 40% of its 106bn euro ($157bn; £76bn) annual budget.

Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel says the changes will make it fit for an enlarged 27-state EU.

The biggest change would be to reduce subsides above 100,000 euros by 10%, above 200,000 euros by 20% and above 300,000 euros by 45%.

The amount of land a farmer has...(complete article here).

It appears that the policy changes suggested will continue to benefit the largest producers and will eliminate the micro-farmers from the program. This is somewhat counter to what I perceive is a trend in modern agriculture. I foresee a bi-modal model in which there are large corporate-type farms that produce commodity crops for fuel and feed and then there are micro-farms that are focused more on fruits and vegetables and other specialty crops. Both need to be encouraged, supported and "influenced" through subsides rather than regulation. It is the "carrot" rather than the "stick."