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EU sets out COVID-19 support for farmers

Moves meant to stabilize markets

Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission proposed measures on Wednesday to support farmers hit by the coronavirus restrictions, including aid to store surplus dairy and meat products. Under the proposals, the Commission will grant aid for private storage of milk powder, butter and cheese as well as beef, sheep and goat meat for a […] Read more

This Greek cattle feeder prefers to take Belgian Blue bull calves to finish.

Greek beef feeder favours Romanian ‘Blues’

Farm aims for improved efficiency in a competitive market


Consumers in Greece love their beef, creating a high year-round demand for the protein source. To feed this demand there are a number of larger beef-fattening units set up around the country, supplying the meat to both private customers and wholesalers. However, Greek beef farmers say the recent financial crisis in the country has hurt […] Read more





The Agricost farm has over 50,000 tonnes of grain storage.

Europe’s biggest arable farm extends to 57,000 hectares

The largest farm in the EU is in Romania, but owned by a UAE investment fund

With 57,000 hectares to harvest and a subsidy cheque of $15 million coming in, Agricost is the largest farm in Europe and is based in Romania. In the spring of 2018, United Arab Emirates-based investment fund Al Dahra purchased the farm from a Romanian businessman in a deal worth over $345 million. This investment group […] Read more

File photo of apple picking in a Quebec orchard. (Noah Burger/iStock/Getty Images)

EU to ban Bayer’s Calypso insecticide

Brussels | Reuters — European Union governments on Tuesday widened the EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides after deciding not to renew their approval for Bayer’s thiacloprid. Farmers will not be allowed to use the neonic insecticide, sold under the brands Calypso and Biscaya, after April 30, 2020, when its current approval expires. A majority of […] Read more