“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
Reflections from the 2nd meeting of the Thematic work group held in Brussels On April 8, 2025, the EU CAP Network hosted the second Thematic Group (TG) meeting on Economic Vulnerability of Farming at its premises in Brussels. This in-person workshop brought together a diverse group of stakeholders and experts to tackle the major economic … Continue reading Turning economic vulnerability into opportunity
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
The onset of 2024 ushered in turbulence within the agriculture sector across Europe, with an unprecedented wave of protests. Hundreds of thousands of farmers flooded the streets, delivering a resounding message to policymakers both at home and within the European Union. Why are European farmers protesting? Farmers throughout the European Union, including those in countries … Continue reading Seeds of change: Malta’s farmers take a stand alongside Europe
As I'm scribbling down these few paragraphs, I can breath a sigh of relief since I'm approaching the final stages of this journey. A lot of you have been following with interest this study, and I thank you all for the encouragement and motivation. I also feel obliged to relate what's been happening in the … Continue reading Investigating characteristics and trends of young farmers in Malta – Main findings
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
President-elect Ursula von der Leyen presented her team and the new structure of the next European Commission. The new Commission will reflect the priorities and ambitions set out in the Political Guidelines. Janusz Wojciechowski, was a long-serving Member of the European Parliament in the Agriculture Committee, and is currently a Member of the European Court of Auditors. … Continue reading New Polish Commissioner in charge of European 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
"There was a significant improvement in the 2017 results and although the sample size is still too small, the first figures for 2018 are also showing a very positive trend. So far, out of all the analysed samples taken by the MSD, we are pleased to note that no pesticide residues were found to exceed … Continue reading Local Products: “a very positive trend” – MCCAA
I can't believe that four years have gone by since the official launch of MaYA! The Malta Youth in Agriculture (MaYA) Foundation was inaugurated on Sunday 1st April 2014 by the Hon. Roderick Galdes, during an event which took place at the Limestone Heritage in Siggiewi. It's been indeed a memorable experience and we have achieved … Continue reading MaYA turns 4!
Jeanette Borg 