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Researchers from the Queen’s University Belfast have conducted an analysis of the consumption of processed meat products and cancer. The results of the analysis, according to scientists, provide the strongest evidence so far of a clear link between the consumption of sausages containing sodium nitrate and the development of cancer, especially in the case of colorectal cancer. In 2015, the World Health Organization identified processed meat products as carcinogens, but according to British scientists, the consumption of products that do not contain nitrates does not pose the same risks of cancer. The health risks of both groups of meat products (not/containing sodium nitrate) should therefore be assessed separately.
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On 30/12/2019 the British government pledged £2.85 billion of subsidies to farmers for 2020, which should compensate them Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. Under the withdrawal agreement, British farmers will no longer receive subsidies from European sources on the date the UK leaves the EU. Britain should step out on 31/01/2020, followed by a transitional period until the end of 2020, during which Britain should contribute to the European budget.
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Representatives of German farmers from the German Farmers' Association, in an interview on 02/01/2020, expressed concerns about the possible disruption of trade relations with Great Britain following its withdrawal from the European Union. Germany's agriculture industry exports worth €4.5 billion a year to Britain, while agricultural products worth a total of €1.3 billion go from Britain to the German markets. The trade surplus in favour of Germany is €3.2 billion, and in trade relations with other countries the surplus is always lower for Germany - Britain is therefore a key market. According to representatives of German farmers, Brexit will particularly affect the pigmeat, poultry meat, milk, dairy products, beef and cereals sectors. Moreover, because of the secondary impacts of Brexit, agricultural commodity prices in Germany could fall.
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The new Austrian Government will not support the draft trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur countries. This stems from a government program published last week. The new Austrian government, which is now composed of the Austrian Conservative People's Party and the Greens, is to support trade agreements based on a holistic approach, with sufficient emphasis on environmental and climate protection, according to the program.
More information is available here.

During the Council of Ministers on 16/12/2019, agriculture ministers discussed the CAP reform package (here), however, in view of the ongoing discussions on the post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), no agreement on the CAP has been reached. Ministers welcomed the progress report presented by the Finnish Presidency, but Ministers stressed that a number of points are still under discussion. Ministers FR, AT, ES, BG, CY, RO, IE and CZ stated that, given the expected strengthening of environmental and climate protection requirements in the context of the newly introduced European Green Deal, the budget for the CAP must be kept at least at the same level as at present, at current prices. The Danish Minister of Agriculture, on the other hand, stated that the budget should not be strengthened, even in the context of strengthened requirements.

Ministers were not unanimous about external convergence - while some states demand full convergence, others reject external convergence completely and argue with different production costs. Polish Minister of Agriculture rejected this argument, according to him, all farmers purchase the same agricultural machinery and equipment at prices comparable throughout the EU, as well as active substances are produced by virtually only two companies, so farmers do not have access to cheaper options.

Ministers further discussed forestry and deforestation issues (here) - German Minister Julia Klöckner said that the European Union can no longer support the import of products whose production causes deforestation in other countries. Ministers also dealt with the issue of Minor Uses in the field of plant protection products (here); the funding of this instrument was generally supported by Ministers, some of them regretted that not all Member States were involved in the Minor Uses program.

Under the points A.O.B. Ministers also discussed the issue of mandatory labelling of the country of origin of food (here), the introduction of a mandatory system was supported by a number of Ministers. The Ministers of Agriculture unanimously adopted the Council conclusions on animal welfare (here) calling on the Commission to develop a new European strategy to protect and strengthen animal welfare. Available legislation should be updated in line with the latest scientific knowledge - especially in the long-distance transport of live animals.

The Council conclusions on food fraud have also been adopted (here) - the Council supported further steps to strengthen ways to prevent and eliminate fraudulent practices in the food chain, a high level of protection against fraudulent practices is part of the European objective of ensuring healthy and safe food and protecting the environment and consumers.

The ministers' discussion also showed:
Support for a single allocation of funds from the overall CAP envelope for climate and environmental measures: EE, PT, SP, LU, DK, CY, SL, DE, SE, CZ, ES;
Support for the allocation of funds under the various pillars of the CAP: AT, RO, IE;
Support for a maximum of 40% of the allocation of CAP funds for climate and environment: LV;
Support for the exclusion of small farmers from cross compliance: EE, HU, EL, BG, CY, MT;
Support for the mandatory introduction of eco-schemes: FR, SE, NL, DK;
Support for the voluntary introduction of eco-schemes: AT, HU, MT;
Support to maintain 15% for VCS payments: FR, HU, CY, CZ (support for further increase), BG, EL;
Support for voluntary capping: CZ, EE;
Capping support under the Finnish proposal (area payments only, over EUR 100.000, the possibility of deducting labour costs): AT, EE;
Support for external convergence: LV, RO, CZ, LT;
Refusal to achieve external convergence: DK, CY, BE, EL, IT, NL, SI;
Promotion of mandatory labelling of country of origin: BE, FR, PT, ES, HU (for certain commodities), PL, EL, DE, BG (for honey), CY, IT, SI, SK, SE;
Promoting of voluntary labelling of country of origin: DK, CZ;
Support for a strong CAP budget: BE, FR, AT, ES, HU;
Support for funding for Minor Uses in the field of plant protection products: FR, AT, EE, PT, ES, EL, DE, DK, CY, IT, SK, SE, IE, NL, LT;
Efforts to participate in the Minor Uses program in the following years: CZ;
Support of voluntary basis in the case of the definition of a genuine farmer: CZ.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Janusz Wojciechowski said that the coming year 2020 will be a crucial year - especially in the context of the need to negotiate the Multiannual Financial Framework, the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, and the preparation of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy. Wojciechowski supported the provision of an adequate budget for the CAP in order to ensure better incomes and support for farmers, according to Wojciechowski, cohesion funds must also contribute to the development of rural areas.
More information is available here.