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Researchers from the Japanese University of Osaka have succeeded in creating a synthetic version of Wagyu beef using 3D printing. According to scientists, by improving this technology, it will be possible to reproduce "not only complex meat structures, such as the beautiful marbling of Wagyu beef, but also to slightly modify fat and muscle components." To produce synthetic (laboratory) meat, the researchers used two types of stem cells, called bovine satellite cells and adipose-derived stem cells. Based on the histological structure of beef, they then developed a 3D printing method that "can produce tailor-made complex structures, like muscle fibers, fat, and blood vessels". The main driver of development in the field of laboratory-grown meat and alternative proteins is the effort to move away from intensive agriculture, which has adverse effects on the environment and climate, and from unethical slaughter of livestock. The laboratory synthetic meat industry could reach a market value of $214 million by 2025, and $593 million by 2032.
More information is available here.

Canada has decided to continue imposing tariffs on sugar imported from the EU, the European Commission is considering intervention at the World Trade Organization (WTO). Canada is defending itself against the fact that farmers there without tariffs on European sugar cannot lead to fair competition, because European farmers receive support from the Common Agricultural Policy. According to Canada, European rates on Canadian sugar are also 20 times higher. However, sugar production and exports in the EU are in line with WTO rules, and the EU abolished production quotas a few years ago and liberalized the sector. Under the 2017 EU-Canada trade agreement, both parties should abolish established tariffs on refined sugar during the transitional period. The European Commission will analyse Canada's decision and will decide based on the results.
Canada's anti-dumping investigation available here.
The reaction of the European Sugar Manufacturers Association here.

Ministers of Agriculture will meet on 05-07/09 at the Informal Council of Ministers to be held in Slovenia. The Slovenian Presidency has included the development of rural areas among its main agricultural priorities for the second half of 2021. This priority will also be the topic of the informal September Council of Ministers. During the discussion, Slovenia will rely on the European Commission's document entitled "Long-term vision for rural areas", which was issued in the first half of this year. According to Slovenia, the development of rural areas must be approached in a new way, the population living in rural areas should be more involved in the political decision-making process, digitization should be strengthened, stereotypical distinctions between urban and rural areas should be alleviated.
More information is available here.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) issued a report on 29/07/2021 aimed at meeting the EU's green objectives through the CAP. The report presents model scenarios for the implementation of the CAP reform proposal to measure the impact of strengthening green ambitions on EU agriculture. The scenario also includes the fulfilment of four quantitative targets under the Farm to Fork Strategy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy, which, according to the JRC, have the greatest potential to affect the agricultural environment and production in the EU. These include reducing the use of pesticides and the risks associated with the use of pesticides, reducing the leakage of nutrients and fertilizers used in the EU, expanding the area of organic farming, and expanding the area of non-productive elements in the EU. The impacts were modelled according to three scenarios - maintaining the status quo, meeting the new objectives without additional financial support from the European recovery plan Next Generation EU, and meeting the new objectives with additional support from the Next Generation EU. If Member States made full use of the potential of the new national strategic plans for the CAP, they could, according to the JRC, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 20-30%. However, according to the JRC, food producer prices could rise by up to 10%, with or without financial support from the Next Generation EU. According to the JRC, food producer prices would rise mainly in the livestock sector, the impact on farmers' incomes would depend on the resulting volume of supply. Purchase prices of beef could increase by 24%, which should lead to a strengthening of farmers' total incomes by 126%. For pork, prices could increase by 43%, and farmers' total incomes by 129%. For poultry meat production, the JRC predicts an increase in purchase prices of 18% and, in connection with this, an increase in income of 83%. In the case of the cereals sector, the JRC predicts a fall in farmers' total incomes of 26%, mainly due to a fall in yields of up to 11%.
More information is available here.

EFSA’s Panel for Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) has banned the use of health claims of a grape seed extract MegaNatural-BP. Specifically, it is a claim about his alleged ability to maintain normal blood pressure. According to EFSA, the American company Polyphenolics, which produces the extract, has not provided evidence of a way or mechanism by which the extract would be able to maintain normal human blood pressure.
More information is available here.