Food for Change Newsletter

In June 2024, the EU elections present a threat of rising nationalism and regression - but also the opportunity to mobilise European society for progressive agrifood reforms! To achieve this, we launched the 'Vote for the Future' campaign.

The culminating action of our campaign will be a joint demonstration with the Climate Action Network on June 1st, 2024 at Place de l'Albertine, Brussels. We unite our voices to show that we need both climate action and a fair transition of our agri-food systems - now! One cannot happen without the other. 

You can expect delicious good food, music, climate jams, inspiring speeches and creative performances. Farmers, activists, scientists and people from all accross the EU will come together in Brussels and stand united for change. Save the date and join us!

If you need travel/accomodation support, get in touch with us ASAP.

All across Europe, farmers have taken the streets in protest, voicing frustrations over a range of issues including unfair prices, cancelled tax subsidies, free trade agreements and perceived neglect from policymakers.

The movement is rather heterogeneous: many protesters openly attack environmental legislation like the EU Green Deal, while other voices call for the urgent need for agroecology. Most protests are peaceful, but some turn partly violent. Even though the protests are fueled by different frustrations in each country, they all underline the need for a system that grants farmers a prospect for the future!

This infographic table covers perspectives on farmers' protests in all Member States, showing the different facets of farmers mobilization in Europe. A common pattern in the concessions made: scrapping environmental regulations. This response simply pits the environment and agriculture against each other, when evidence proves they depend on each other.

Dear EU Commission,

We couldn't help but notice your recent flirtation with disaster in the food and agriculture sector. Your moves to relax environmental standards while neglecting real solutions for farmers are like trying to put out a fire with gasoline – counterproductive and bound to make things worse.

Consider the recent GAEC derogations within the Common Agricultural Policy: In addition to scrapping the obligation to set aside space for nature in February, you now also proposed to relax rules related to the protection of grasslands! You are exempting the majority of CAP beneficiaries from controls. Let's be real: neglecting environmental standards won't win anyone's heart, especially not Mother Nature's.

But the truth is, our planet deserves better, and so do our farmers. Farmers aren't just protesting for the sake of it – they're concerned about cheap imports, unfair economic distributions, and the future of sustainable agriculture. So, dear Commission, it's time to put away the pickup lines and start listening to the chorus of voices calling for an agroecological transition!

Let's stop flirting with disaster and start sowing the seeds of a brighter EU.