Europe has been swept by a wave of protests by farmers, many of whom blame environmental policies for increasing their hardship. In Germany, farmers are angry about the phasing out of tax breaks on agricultural diesel. A policy aimed at reducing pesticide use was one of many grievances fuelling demonstrations in France, Belgium and the Netherlands - prompting the EU to backtrack on the policy. But farmers are worried about more than just pesticide use. From measures to increase biodiversity and soil quality to increased competition from cheap imports, the agricultural sector across Europe - and the world - is feeling the strain. So, can farmers and the environment both prosper? If so, which policies will help encourage a green transition and who will pay for it? Shaun Ley is joined by a panel of expert guests. Natasha Foote - A journalist and podcaster focusing on European agriculture and farming policy Paula Andrés – Agriculture and food reporter for Politico Europe Julia Bognar - Head of land use and climate at The Institute for European Environmental Policy think tank Also featuring: Christiane Lambert – A pig farmer and President of the European farmers’ lobby COPA-COGECA Tom Vandenkendelaere - A Belgian member of the European Parliament for the Flemish Christian Democrat CD&V party / European People’s Party (EPP) Bas Eickhout - A Dutch member of the European Parliament for the Greens / European Free Alliance Producers: Zak Brophy and Paul Schuster Image: A placard on a tractor reads 'No farmers, no food' during a protest by farmers in downtown Barcelona, Spain, 07 February 2024 - Credit: Enric Fontcuberta/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.
You are actually radioactive and everything alive.
Is unexpected elements from the BBC World Service.
Search for unexpected elements wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
This is the real story from the BBC.
I'm Shawn Lay with your weekly deep dive into a story that's making news and changing lives.
And this one week, custodians of the environment, producers of our food, an essential force in the economy.
But farmers aren't feeling it.
From early this morning, farmers from across Europe gathered in the Belgian capital.
Their target, the European Union's headquarters.
The farmers are angry and increasingly united by concerns about cheaper imports, rising prices and new EU regulations designed to help tackle climate change.
We produce food.
The food is life.
Without agriculture, without farmers, there is not life.
In recent weeks, Europe has been hit by protests continent wide.
The cause?
Europe's push to curb climate damaging emissions from agriculture and to protect the environment more broadly.
The anger on the streets this week prompted Brussels to backtrack on a number of green measures, including scrapping targets to halve pesticide use.
But farmers say more help is needed.
The problem is that to produce greener, it's more expensive, of course, and who will pay?