Around 40 per cent of the EU’s budget goes on agriculture but a growing number of farmers are struggling. At the same time food has never been so popular or topical whether it’s cooking, organic or obesity issues.
Food and agriculture
Feeding a continent
EU court rules on mutagenesis technology
The European Court of Justice has agreed with a group of French farmers who believe that mutagenesis techniques could harm humans, animals and the environment.
The need to ditch our addiction to plastic
Online shopping, on-the-go gastronomy and pre-prepared meals are all factors in the increasing use of plastic packaging – and the resulting mountains of waste.
EU proposes slimmer post-Brexit agricultural subsidy programme
The European Commission is proposing significant cuts in the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to make up for the imminent departure of Britain as a financial contributor.
EU votes for near-total ban on bee-killing pesticides
EU countries have voted for a near-total ban on insecticides blamed for killing off bee populations, in what campaigners called a "beacon of hope" for the winged insects.
EU proposes crackdown on unfair trading practices of food products
The European Commission wants to equip small and medium-size food suppliers and companies with more bargaining power against big retailers and food processors.
UK fishermen fear Brexit betrayal with one year to go
On the dockside in Brixham, a fishing port in southwest England, the fear is that Britain's departure from the EU may prove a false dawn for hopes of taking back control.