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According to Reuters, the European Union and the United States have reached an agreement to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. Due to the short atmospheric lifespan of methane, rapid reduction measures can mean a more effective slowdown in global warming. The largest global producers of methane emissions are agriculture, landfilling and energy. The United States plans to call for the same move and commitment to other strong non-EU economies and countries, such as China, Russia, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa, and Norway. The initiative will be launched at the November UN Conference on Climate Change 2021 (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
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The Netherlands is considering reducing the number of livestock to reduce the excessive production of the nitrogen compound ammonia released from livestock manure. After the Dutch Supreme Administrative Court found in 2019 that the government was violating EU regulations by its lack of activity in reducing excess nitrogen in protected natural areas, the Dutch Ministry of Finance and Agriculture made two proposals to fulfil the commitment. The aim of the proposals is to ensure that nitrogen levels are optimal in half of the protected natural areas by 2030. The proposal also includes one of the most radical plans of its kind in Europe, namely a 30% reduction in livestock numbers and forcing some farmers to sell emission rights and, if necessary, sell agricultural land to the state, which Dutch Agriculture Minister Carola Schouten considers to be the last possibility between the measures under consideration.
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On 09/09/2021, the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) formally adopted the text of the political agreement on the reformed CAP reached by the European institutions at the end of June 2021. The agreement was adopted by 38 votes in favour, 8 against and 2 abstentions (CAP strategic plans); 40 in favour, 5 against and 3 abstentions (CMO); and 39 in favour, 7 against and 2 abstentions (CAP horizontal regulation). However, the Slovenian Presidency has still not completed all translations and legal revisions of legislative texts, which is why it is not possible to proceed to the European Parliament's plenary vote on the CAP as early as October 2021. According to preliminary information, the EP Plenary Session could therefore adopt the agreement only in the second half of November, probably in the week after 22/11/2021. According to the Slovenian Presidency, the texts could be published in the Official Journal of the EU in late November or early December 2021. Secondary legislation (still missing implementing and delegated acts) can only be published after the publication of legislative texts in the Official Journal of the EU (i.e., not earlier than December 2021, negotiations on selected acts will start at technical level on 23/09/2021). Member States should then be required to submit national strategic plans by 31/12/2021. Representatives of some Member States have asked the Commission to postpone this deadline, but the Commission is still adamant and is asking Member States to respect the original date. Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the European Commission's discussions with Member States on draft strategic plans are likely to be very difficult; Wojciechowski expects that among the most problematic topics will be the demand for reduction of greenhouse gases from agriculture, the redistribution of funds from large farmers to smaller ones, the setting up of eco-schemes, and further support for organic farming.

The European Parliament's Committees on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) and on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (COMENVI) voted on 09-10/09/2021 on the opinion on the Farm to Fork strategy. For example, the committees supported the introduction of binding pesticide reduction targets but emphasized that achieving this target depended on the availability of safer, more efficient, and effective alternatives. In setting the target, the Commission should also consider the different starting situations of the Member States, as well as the differences in the efforts already made. The Committees also supported the adoption of appropriate and adapted regulatory measures and targets for agricultural emissions and related land use as part of the FitFor55 package to ensure an ambitious reduction of all greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and other affected areas, inter alia by addressing livestock density in EU and land use emissions related to imported feed and food. The committees therefore call for a comprehensive policy mix to allow for the transition to more sustainable practices, such as extensive livestock production. The new opinion also responds to the European Commission's initiative to support the cessation of cage farming - COMAGRI and COMENVI have supported a ban on cage farming after 2027, but the ban must be based on scientific results and a sufficient transition period must be provided. The committees also supported the proposal to set aside at least 10% of agricultural area to support high-diversity landscape features that are essential for the preservation of basic ecosystem services. The new opinion also calls on the Commission to ensure that mandatory and harmonized nutrition labelling on the front of food packaging in the EU is developed based on reliable and independent scientific evidence and demonstrable consumer understanding. MEPs also state in the opinion that introducing real food prices that reflect the real costs of production, but also to address related environmental and health issues, is the most effective way to achieve long-term sustainable and fair food systems. In this context, the Committees have encouraged Member States to have more flexibility in differentiating VAT rates on food with different health and environmental impacts, and to be able to opt for a zero VAT rate on healthy and sustainable food and a higher VAT rate on unhealthy and non-food foods with a high ecological footprint. The committees also supported the reformulation of food and the setting of maximum levels for salt, sugar, and fat in food to reduce the risks to public health of excessive consumption of highly processed foods and other products high in salt, sugar, and fat. The Parliament’s Plenary Session should vote on the opinion in October 2021, after which the opinion will become the opinion of the European Parliament.

Last week, the European Commission confirmed the date of the Farm to Fork conference, which will take place in Brussels on 14-15/10/2021. The conference should focus on the progress made so far on the goals and initiatives defined in the Farm to Fork strategy in May 2020. The conference will take place in a hybrid model - in-person or virtually. However, according to the Commission, most participants should preferably be connected online.
More information is available here.