December is the ultimate month of consumption. It is also a period of reflection. My Christmas blog this year relates to both. Material consumer goods that indicate who we are and what our social status is have been a social phenomenon for centuries. How we dress, where we live, what…
The safety net system in dairy operates when it is not necessary and leads currently to overcompensation of farmers and a waste of public means. Does the EU safety net in the dairy sector function as it should do? The current situation with high prices and ongoing SMP (skimmed milk…
Why do I think that it’s not Japan, but the Netherlands that has an agriculture problem? Let me start my explanation from the beginning. I’m writing this blog at the crack of dawn in the Tokyo Limousine Bus to Narita International Airport. In about 16 hours, I hope to set…
Do we as an agricultural sector have the courage to break through old principles and habits and to work towards a circular and sustainable sector? ‘In my view, a development towards a circular sector is the only realistic option for the agricultural sector in order to achieve the goals of…
We all know nature is of vital importance to mankind: the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink would not be there without forests, wetlands, and other natural systems. So why is it still being degraded? Some ecologists and economists argue that the fundamental reason…
The proposed take-over of Monsanto by Bayer has initiated a debate about the implications for the agricultural sector: in the European Union, the United States, and developing countries. One of the major concerns is the increase in the concentration in the seed and pesticide sector. Of course will increase as…
As a social psychologist I am very interested in why people act in a certain way: what drives them and what is the influence of the context? This seems to be particularly interesting in the case of environmental behavior: often people claim to consider the environment important, but they don’t…
This week the report by the National Academy of Science was released: Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects. Not surprisingly, for someone following the literature, the report did find that GE crops are as safe as crops produced by other means often referred to as “conventional breeding”. What is surprising…
Every two years, GMCC provides an important stage for active debate on policy, legal, economic and technical solutions that seek to facilitate coexistence in order to ensure that all sectors continue to thrive, to meet the growing global food demand and to satisfy the demands of stakeholders such as industry,…