“Farmers deserve better.” That was the message delivered by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a recorded video addressing the opening of the "Shaping the Future of Farming and the Agri-Food Sector" conference held in Brussels on 8 May 2025. Her statement set the tone for a day of dialogue, as she called … Continue reading “Evolution” as the main theme of the conference on the Vision for EU Agriculture and Food
During a brief visit to Zagreb for an EU CAP Network workshop, I had the pleasure of meeting the dynamic Ilija Jurić, who manages the operations of a thriving microenterprise named Tukan greens alongside his family and a team of young employees. Located in Velika Gorica, the Tukan greenhouses span 3000 square meters, serving as … Continue reading Meet the farmer | Ilija Jurić
At the forefront of land management in Croatia During a recent workshop organised by the EU CAP Network in Zagreb, I joined attendees from twenty-five Member States to focus on funding aimed at generational renewal across the EU. The event provided a platform for learning and networking, connecting me with various stakeholders deeply involved in … Continue reading Meet the farmer | Karlo Koprivnjak
Ah, the tangled web of a small insular country and its agriculture – the narrative keeps unfolding, much like a gripping saga with its twists and turns. Today, we dive into the fray once more, not to unveil groundbreaking revelations, but to echo sentiments that seem to require constant reiteration. Let's tackle the thorny issue … Continue reading Current food-chain issues… a can of worms
My reaction to Ms. Alison Bezzina's interview. Long post ahead. Tried my best at translating the Maltese phrases... apologies in advance to professional translators, but my expertise lies elsewhere. 1. The interviewer said he is vegan... Ms. Bezzina replied by saying "prosit" ("well done"). There is of course absolutely nothing wrong with following a vegan diet. … Continue reading Animal Welfare: My reaction to the Commissioner’s statements
In response to the Ag-Press request for country-specific information - "Farming during COVID-19 pandemic: how is your country coping?" Here is an overview about what's been happening in Malta over the past weeks. Local authorities have been on high alert and tackling the COVID-19 outbreak with great responsibility. The Health Minister Dr. Chris Fearne and … Continue reading COVID-19 and Maltese agriculture
Europe, together with the rest of the world, is still digesting what happened during this weekend. It's been dubbed as the "most important EU vote" to date, and with good reason - the changes that we're all witnessing are undoubtedly both wide-ranging and of an abiding impact. There are many people out there who dissociate … Continue reading Red, Blue, Green and the farmer in between
For the past couple of years, I've been keeping track of what's going on with the Ġbejna saga, now I'm informed that the draft legal notice regulating the production and sale of the traditional Maltese Ġbejna is really in the final stages. Mind you, this has been in the pipeline at least for the past … Continue reading Parliament to decide the fate of the Ġbejna
Here are my reactions to the article featured on the Sunday Times of Malta on the 29th of July relating to pesticide residues. Let's be absolutely clear, in an ideal situation we would have 0 (zero) samples resulting in excessive residues. In writing these observations, I am in no way defending the fraction of irresponsible … Continue reading Fearful consumers, silent authorities…
The future of food and farming were at the heart of discussions across Europe during the month of June. Sustainable agriculture and funding are the fulcrum of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and now that we are approaching the end of the European Programming period 2014-2020, the logical question to be posed is; what's next? The … Continue reading European agriculture beyond 2020
Jeanette Borg 