John LaRose Jr.
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Topics: Sustainability, Ag Europe, Ag Innovation, World Population, Regenerative Agriculture, Renewable Energy (Solar/Wind),

Solar cells of the future

Nuremberg, Germany (SPX) Nov 04, 2020 - Organic solar cells are cheaper to produce and more flexible than their counterparts made of crystalline silicon, but do not offer the same level of efficiency or stability. A group of researchers l

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John LaRose Jr.
shared this article 4 years ago
Topics: Ag Europe, Government / Policies, Coronavirus/COVID,

Insights on the enormous impact seasons have in agricultural economies

French citizens have spoken on agriculture, but will it have any effect?

As part of an effort to reconnect citizens with agriculture, French citizens have been invited to offer their take on the direction of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). But to what extent these efforts will be reflected in policy remains to be seen. EURACTIV France reports.

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John LaRose Jr.
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Topics: Fruit, Economics, Fermentation/Vineyard/Wine, Grapes, Research, Ag Europe, World Population, Regenerative Agriculture,

A Single Vision of Friuli Untaps Native Grapes

Though Friuli has historic roots in red winemaking, white is now dominant here in an area that’s long been linked to its northern Germanic neighbors.

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John LaRose Jr.
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Topics: Sustainability, Fermentation/Vineyard/Wine, Grapes, Ag Europe, Climate Change, World Population,

No wine left behind: How Germany wants to adapt to climate change

Winegrowers are facing unprecedented challenges from climate change, like hot summers or water shortages, but the warmer climate also favours certain types of cultivation. The German government's adaptation strategy is designed to help the winegrowing sector, but to what extent does it help them in practice? EURACTIV Germany reports.

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John LaRose Jr.
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Topics: Economics, Sustainability, Fertilizer, Ag Europe, Ag Tech, Ag Innovation, Regenerative Agriculture,

French start-up Ynsect set to build world’s largest insect farm

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John LaRose Jr.
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Topics: Livestock/Meat, Lamb/Sheep, Economics, Sustainability, Ag Europe, World Population, Regenerative Agriculture, Renewable Energy (Solar/Wind),

EU agriculture policy: What are the bones of contention?

The EU has been trying to reform its agricultural policy for years. It's one of the bloc's most contentious issues, with member states, lobby groups and environmentalist all trying to sway the debate. Here's an overview.

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TOPIC(S): Sustainability, GMO's, Ag Europe, Genes /Genetics, World Hunger, World Population,

10/24/2020 SOURCE: sciencebusiness.net

Member states want commission to decide on the use of gene editing in animal and plant breeding

The EU should make use of innovative breeding technologies to boost sustainability of food production, agriculture ministers agreed on Monday, as they gave their stamp of approval to the European Commission’s ‘Farm to Fork’ plan to reduce the use of fertilisers by 30 per cent and turn 25 per cent of agricultural land over to organic farming. The ministers called for the use of “new innovative ingredients and techniques” to boost sustainable food production, as long as they are shown to be safe for humans, animals and the environment. This was with reference to precision breeding using gene editing, which enables genetically modified organisms to be generated without introducing genes from other species. As things stand, the technology cannot be used in the EU, following a 2018 ruling by the European Court of Justice, which founds genome editing is subject to the 2001 EU directive banning genetically modified organisms. Researchers in 120 institutes across Europe have asked the commission to reverse the court ruling, arguing precision breeding and genome editing are a speeded-up equivalent of traditional breeding techniques and could increase the genetic diversity of crop plants, reduce use of pesticides, and further the development of healthy food. Agriculture ministers want the commission to complete its study of the status of novel genomic techniques under EU legislation by April 2021. The commission’s view is that precision farming technologies should underpin the transition to eco-friendly food production. Frans Timmermans, the commission’s executive vice-president for the European Green Deal said the EU aims to give farmers the tools to adopt precision agriculture and to leverage scientific discoveries to optimise seeds. “That's how we limit our dependency on pesticides,” Timmermans told delegates at the EU Green Week conference last week. “Going to ecological farming doesn't mean we all have to munch on grass and live in caves, we need to use the latest technology to get us ther...

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TOPIC(S): Sustainability, Ag Europe, Regenerative Agriculture,

10/21/2020 SOURCE: www.reuters.com

EU countries back binding green farming schemes

European Union agriculture ministers agreed on Wednesday to set aside part of the bloc's massive farming policy budget for programmes that protect the environment.

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John LaRose Jr.
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Topics: Livestock/Meat, Poultry, Sustainability, Pork/Swine/Pig/Hog, Research, Ag Europe,

Lucky break for red clover's hidden virtues

A new consortium of academics and industry leaders believes red clover could be a sustainable protein source for monogastric livestock, and a source…

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John LaRose Jr.
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Topics: Corn/Maize, Cotton, Sugarcane, Agriculture US, Vegetables, GMO's, Potatoes, Research, CRISPR/Gene Editing, Ag Europe, Genes /Genetics, World Hunger, World Population,

The place of Europe in the new plant breeding landscape: evolution of field trials

Abstract CRISPR-cas gene editing in crop plants could significantly speed up the progress of breeding programs. Strikingly in the agricultural sector, the number of CRISPR-cas patents originating from Europe trails far behind the USA and China. Examining field trials is another mean to compile biotechnological innovation in plant breeding. We examined field trials since 2002 […]