Green Paper on promoting the tastes of Europe

The European Commission has today launched a debate on the future of promotion and information schemes for EU agricultural products. With the publication of a Green Paper on these issues, the Commission is looking at how to shape a more targeted and more ambitious strategy for the future, which will make clearer to consumers – both in the EU and beyond - the quality, traditions and added-value of European agricultural and food products.
Presenting the Green Paper in Brussels today, EU Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development Dacian Cioloș stated: "To protect the health of our consumers farmers in Europe face stricter rules on food safety, environmental conditions, and animal welfare than their competitors elsewhere in the world. The European agriculture industry needs an ambitious and effective promotion policy which highlights the added-value of the sector. It is also important for European jobs and growth that the EU agri-food sector can improve its position on traditional and emerging markets. We therefore need to consider how best to adapt our schemes to support this goal."
The paper raises a series of multi-faceted questions and invites all stakeholders - consumers, producers, distributors and official authorities - to give their comments and suggestions by September 30, 2011. On the basis of these responses, the Commission will draft a Communication for publication next year, which should then lead to legislative proposals.
The Green Paper is divided into four sections - the European added-value of this policy; objectives and measures to use on the internal EU market, including on local and regional markets; objectives and measures to use on world markets; and broader questions on the content and management of the policy. The various questions raised, 16 in all, contain different aspects and suggestions, aimed at stimulating responses. For example, they ask about the specific needs for information and promotion, both on the EU market and the external market, and what priorities should be set. There is also a question about multi-country programmes, and what can be done to encourage programmes with a greater European dimension.

Source: European Union

For more information, and to participate in the consultation, see the following site:

http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/promotion/index_en.htm

What is a breakfast club?

School breakfast clubs serve food to children who arrive early at school, before formal lessons begin. The way in which the clubs operate depends on the individual circumstances of the school. However, many schools work closely with their school caterer or others to arrange an informal breakfast in a classroom serving fruit, toast, breakfast cereal and drinks.
Breakfast clubs have been operating in the UK for several years and the emphasis of different clubs varies considerably. For example, some breakfast clubs have objectives of integrating study or welfare support, some include play activities, while others focus on providing breakfast and a time for informal interaction between children and school staff, sometimes also involving parents.
A recent study of breakfast clubs summarises four main benefits :

•Improving health and nutrition
•Improving children’s education
•Meeting children’s social needs
•Improving and supporting parent and family life.
A breakfast club involves pupils, school staff, parents and the wider community. It aims to improve the health and well-being of children, as well as the staff and volunteers involved. A breakfast club also underpins the goals of a health promoting school.

For more info and a toolkit, please visit Food Vision

Manchester Food Futures

Manchester Food Futures is a partnership that embraces a wide range of individuals and organisations with an interest in improving food in the city.
Its ambitious goal is to create a culture of good food in the city, based on the belief that good food is enjoyable, safe, nutritious, environmentally sustainable, and produced ethically and fairly; and that everyone in Manchester has a right to good food – no-one should have this right denied because of where they live, their income or their background.
The link between diet and health is undisputed. It has been estimated that dietary factors account for up to a third of deaths from coronary heart disease and a quarter of cancer deaths. This equates to approximately 900 deaths in Manchester every year that could be attributable to diet related cancer and coronary heart disease. Dietary changes could prevent up to a third of all cancers from occurring in the first place. Within the city, only 23% of adults are eating the recommended minimum of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Obesity is an increasing problem and recent statistics show approximately 15% of school children in Manchester are obese.
The Food Futures strategy embraces the whole food agenda for the city – from improving health, tackling health inequalities and reducing the environmental impact of food, to building sustainable communities and strengthening the local economy.

To know more, please visit FOOD VISION

Food: from farm to fork statistics. 2011 Edition

This pocketbook provides the reader with information on how the food chain evolves in Europe; it presents a range of statistical indicators for each step of this chain from the farm to the fork, passing from production on the farm, through food processing, to logistical activities such as importing, transporting and distributing, before reaching the end consumer either through purchases made in retail outlets or through the consumption of food and drink in cafés, bars and restaurants. Its aim is to give a summary of the data currently available within Eurostat s Food: from farm to fork database. The publication structure follows closely the approach adopted by the European Commission on food safety policy, and the indicators presented have been developed with this in mind. This publication may be viewed as a compendium of the data available within Eurostat on the food chain


DOWNLOAD FROMEUROSTAT

La recherche en action : Outils et ressources pour accompagner les circuits courts alimentaires

Cette journée s’inscrit dans la phase de finalisation du projet LiProCo (Liens Producteurs-Consommateurs). Au-delà du transfert des savoirs, il s’agit d’une part d’inciter et de conforter l’appropriation des résultats de recherche par les acteurs ; et d’autre part de mettre en perspective cette dynamique de recherche-action engagée dans le cadre du projet LiProCo. La journée donnera lieu à des temps de restitution et surtout des moments de partage d’idées pour mettre en oeuvre des analyses sur les circuits courts et conduire des actions en faveur du développement de ces démarches. Cette journée à destination des acteurs de l’accompagnement, des collectivités, des élus, des consommateurs et producteurs, des étudiants et des formateurs sera ponctuée par trois temps forts :
O Trois ateliers de transfert d’outils (méthode et analyse)
O Un centre de ressources où seront mis à disposition rapports, guides et autre publications
O Deux forums d’expression pour un partage d’expériences entre acteurs sur la formation et la gouvernance alimentaire territoriale
LiProCo propose donc d’étudier les démarches de valorisation des produits alimentaires et activités connexes fondées sur les proximités producteurs-consommateurs. Il porte sur les quatre régions du Grand Ouest de la France ainsi que sur la région Rhône-Alpes. Il se structure autour de deux axes complémentaires que sont d’une part les démarches de valorisation centrées sur le produit et la proximité avec les consommateurs, d’autre part les démarches de valorisation centrées sur l’identité territoriale dans les interrelations avec le tourisme. Chacun de ces deux axes déroule une méthodologie commune, fondée sur la mise en oeuvre de questions de recherche transdisciplinaires intégrant systématiquement sociologie, économie, sciences de gestion, droit et géographie
INSCRIPTIONS: ICI

Plus d'informations:

B. Berger (FR Civam Bretagne)  blaise.berger@civam-bretagne.org
o M. Poisson (LiProCo) m.poisson@groupe-esa.com
Projet Li Pro Co

Is the CAP a ground for European disunion? An assessment of the solidarity mechanisms created by the CAP and their relevance after 2013 by Nadège Chambon

Published by Notre Europe June 24 2011

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been based on three types of solidarity since 1962: financial solidarity between Member States, Community preference and the solidarity of the Community towards farmers. These types of solidarity have been led astray or weakened over time while new measures favourable to European cohesion have been incorporated into the CAP in the 1970s and the 1980s: compensation of natural handicaps, food programme for the most deprived persons, rural development.
Whilst it was a pioneer in European solidarity, the CAP causes a division which peaks regularly during budgetary negotiations. The distribution of direct aid (a third of the EU's expenditure) crystallises criticisms: it is more advantageous to big farming countries to the detriment of rich countries with little agriculture; it benefits regions in different ways according to their territorial specialisation; it foresees a different system between the EU15 and EU12 until 2013. This situation gives the impression that European public money is badly spent.
This policy paper proposes the state of European solidarity mechanisms within the CAP, evaluates the relevance of it in the modern context and comes up with proposals to reform them after 2013.

Please visit Notre Europe to know more