Mercosur: What France and Italy want to get for EU farmers
The European ministers of France and Italy have adopted a joint declaration on the Mercosur agreement. They are calling for more protection against market distortions for EU farmers.
US Minister Kennedy is causing a rift with farmers. He is using animal rights rhetoric like "factory farming" and wants to restrict pesticides.
As reported by the trade magazine AgDaily, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is currently facing backlash from farmers in the USA. The Minister of Health and Social Services has long stated that he wants to restrict the use of pesticides in American agriculture. This is a central element of his "Make America Healthy Again" program. To make matters worse, he often uses terms from the animal rights movement in his rhetoric - such as the term "factory farming." Will this Kennedy turn US agricultural policy upside down?
Are pesticides to blame for health problems in the USA?
According to the Wall Street Journal, there is now also friction between Kennedy and government officials. The question arises as to what extent pesticides should be blamed for health problems in the USA. There are concerns that significant restrictions on their use could disrupt the food supply chain. Additionally, this could alienate rural America - where President Trump's most fervent supporters reside. This is particularly inconvenient at the moment, as President Trump is currently trying to gain favor with farmers - after all the controversy surrounding trade tariffs and cuts to federal subsidies in the agricultural sector.
US Minister against modern agricultural practices
Kennedy is vehemently against many modern agricultural practices, as reported by AgDaily. This includes the use of pesticides, genetic engineering, and large-scale producers in general. The trade magazine reports that according to the US Department of Agriculture, more than 90 percent of soybeans, corn, and cotton grown in the USA have been genetically modified to resist glyphosate. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, American farmers apply nearly 300 million pounds of pesticides to their fields each year. AgDaily also explains more about Kennedy's fight against glyphosate and Roundup. For the current US Minister, who spent a large part of his career as an environmental lawyer, this was financially quite lucrative. He was actively involved in the first glyphosate lawsuit against Monsanto. It seems he now wants to continue down that path.
With material from AgDaily