Newsletter No. 15 June 2013
Traffic light food labelling to go live
CAP needs to be greener and fairer
Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is in its closing stages and the prospect of a greener and fairer CAP is fast receding. The Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) have been described as “the boldest and potentially most effective of the three measures for greening … the CAP” when first proposed. Since then
EFAs have been progressively weakened, furthermore so in recent negotiations involving the Council and European Parliament.
Stephanie Roth, spokesperson for the alliance ARC2020, called upon EU negotiators to remember that:
“Citizens in Europe want a food and farming policy that supports small farmers, ensures healthy food, protects Europe’s landscapes and rural communities, preserves cultural heritage and reduces the impact of CAP on developing countries. Our leaders have the responsibility to deliver a sustainable and inclusive policy. They still have a chance to secure a meaningful and credible reform.”
Young campaigners in Luxembourg who set out
to greet arriving agriculture ministers with a simple greening message faced a hostile reception. The final outcome looks set to disappoint.
Fisheries Law Centre
A ground-breaking new legal research centre has recently been established.
The Fisheries Law Centre (FLC) is a not-for-profit venture founded by Adam Soliman which aims to:
· Conduct research in the field of fisheries, aquaculture and seafood law.
· Build capacity by educating law students, lawyers and other stakeholders in fisheries and aquaculture law.
· Offer legal representation to underprivileged small-scale fishers and NGOs.
An ambitious research program is underway which includes Aboriginal rights to fish; access to justice in coastal communities; fisheries management schemes; seafood safety; GE fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; market structures; seafood fraud and sustainability certification schemes.
The FLC’s goal is to protect the environment and consumers, and support family fishermen and coastal communities. The FLC is based in Vancouver, Canada, but just like fish it has a global reach. Take a read of the
first issue of the FLC’s quarterly update on fisheries law.
Defra publish consultation outcome on draft organic testing guidance
The production of organic food and feed is governed by
Regulations (EC) 834/2007 and
Regulation (EC) 889/2008. The Regulations provide a framework for testing organic products for substances that are not allowed in organic production, but they provide little detail on the procedure to be followed in doing so.
The draft guidance for organic control bodies and organic operators will clarify the procedure to be followed. The biggest issues raised in the consultation centred on random testing, whether it should take place and, if so, in what circumstances, and the testing of previously certified products.
You can read the full response
here.
The Moo Man – the story of a farmer and his favourite cow Ida
Those of you following the story of Steve Hook, the pioneering raw milk dairy farmer, may have spotted there are two parallel stories. The first came to an end when the
Foods Standards Agency dropped its prosecution against Steve Hook and Selfridges for selling raw milk from a vending machine. The second was a far more interesting and glamorous affair. A couple of independent film makers came across Steve Hook about 5 years ago and were captivated by the farmer with a sparkle in his eye, passionate about his cows, producing organic raw milk and keeping the family farm small and sustainable. They decided to make a film to show the importance of small family farms. ‘The Moo Man’ was born.
The Moo Man premiered at Robert Redford’s
Sundance Film Festival in the USA, a couple of days before the Food Standards Agency announced Steve Hook was to be prosecuted. The film went down a storm and there was further irony when The Moo Man premiered at the
Sundance London Film and Music Festival, the day after another scheduled court appearance. Andy Heathcote and Heike Bachelier of Trufflepig Films sank everything they had into making The Moo Man. Their reward is to have made a very special film portraying the special relationship between a farmer and his animals. The Moo Man is an immensely enjoyable family film, it also raises important issues about the future of family farms in the UK.
In a bid to reach the widest possible audience Trufflepig Films launched a
Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to raise the £20,000 needed. The response was tremendous and when the pledge deadline passed over £27,000 had been raised. So watch out for The Moo Man coming to a cinema near you! Meanwhile, here’s the
trailer to whet your appetite.
Meanwhile …
Law, policy and developments
The proposed
EU-US trade deal would enable US companies to skirt European courts and challenge domestic measures that curtail profits in international tribunals beyond political or democratic scrutiny.
A recent study reveals that
UK supermarkets dedicate the most aisle length to display chips, chocolate and confectionery. New Zealand racked up 21.7m of snack food shelf space while the UK managed a whopping 56.4m. Supermarkets really are dedicated to fighting obesity!
Prunes become the first and only natural, whole dried fruit to receive an authorised health claim:
Regulation (EU) No 536/2013, Annex "Dried plums/prunes contribute to normal bowel function".
EU Ombudsman says
European Food Safety Authority failed to take adequate steps to prevent conflict of interests arising in a major 'revolving doors' case.
US
organic farmers (sort of) lose their appeal against Monsanto. It's a technical loss, but a practical win says The Food Law Firm.
Michael Pollan writing on how
processed food kills 'friendly' bacteria in our gut. Can homemade pickles fight off infection and obesity? While Bee Wilson explains:
How microbes affect our food, and our metabolisms. "You are what your microbes eat"!
There is a legal case here just waiting to happen:
Is small print in online contracts enforceable? Will it be yours?
Banned pesticides may have wider environmental impacts.
Neonicotinoids are a risk to soil, water and birds, not just bees. Meanwhile,
Channel Islands honeybees are under threat, the Asian hornet stalks and kills bees.
EFSA concludes that the
UK’s FERA bumblebee study does NOT affect its conclusions on neonicotinoids, FERA’s study was deficient.
'Cheese is from plants' – survey reveals confusion amongst children. Oh dear ... there's so much to learn!
EU
list of authorised food additives takes effect on 1 June, earlier directives are replaced with a single regulation.
The welfare of animals at the time of killing. Defra publishes the results of consultation on the implementation of EU Regulation (EC) 1099/2009.
Artisan foods
Scottish food producers are
urged to seek EU protected name status for products. Scotland has just 12 protected foods to date, there are 48 in the UK but 254, almost a quarter of the total number of protected names in the EU, in Italy.
Two Takes on Foie Gras from Food Politic -choose with care and avoid the industrial product.
Australian not-so-artisan baker
Coles faces court over 'freshly baked' bread. Why? Err ... part baked overseas is definitely not real bread!
Badger Face sheep added to the Slow Food Ark of Taste of forgotten foods. It's simple, eat them or lose them!
Samphire seems suddenly very fashionable:
All hail samphire, the salty veg of the sea.
Love My Chillies has sated the nation's new found craving for fiery flavours. 12 million chillies a year!
Consultation ends on bid to amend Stilton cheese’s protected status. The long wait begins!
EU urges protected name PGI status for African, Caribbean and Pacific foods. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee leads the way.
Farming
Smallholders are key to future global food security and supporting them isn't rocket science, it's cheap and it works.
600 farmers in Co-op farming groups are to receive a premium for going the extra mile to meet sustainable, environmental and ethical standards.
Veal production can make a real difference to a dairy farm’s bottom line, but we need to increase consumer demand say Eblex.
Cows that don't fart?! Selective breeding and diet changes could produce low methane cows – no genetic engineering involved but will they eat grass?
Sustainable fish
Brakes put on Irish salmon fish farm by Darina Allen, of Ballymaloe Cookery School, and Slow Food.
A bit of good news:
North Sea cod stocks 'on road to sustainability'.
GM and pesticides
We are all
probably pissing glyphosate weed killer Monsanto gets everywhere!
Scientists say new study shows
pig health hurt by GM feed. GM fed pigs had higher rate of severe stomach inflammation.
GM Freeze calls on Food Standards Agency to recommend that the Government backs moves to harmonise GM-free labelling across the EU.
GM salmon can breed with wild fish and pass on genes.
Food waste
The Pig Idea calls for pigs to be fed food leftovers, but National Pig Association not very supportive, creative thinking required.
Artisan Food Law works to support artisan and small scale food producers by providing easy access to important law and practical help in solving problems
New food labelling means 
