Its name sounds vague: the Food and Feed Omnibus. Its consequences are anything but. That’s why last week we brought parents like Isabelle, Florence and Franck to Brussels whose children have been gravely affected by pesticide exposure. Their stories are impossible to ignore.

Families of pesticide victims urge MEPs to stop ‘light‑touch’ rules on toxic sprays

MEPs want to make it easier for aerial spraying of pesticides, typically by drones, to be authorised by member states, and 15-year licences for approved pesticides, rising to 25 years for renewals.

euobserver.com

Will our elected representatives choose our health, or protect corporate mega profits? That’s what’s at stake right now. While farmers, children & families get harmed by pesticide exposure, European institutions rush through legislation that would remove safeguards & allow unlimited approvals.

Before MEPs Vote on Pesticides, They Need to Hear These Families

YouTube video by WeMove Europe

youtube.com

These testimonies come from all over Europe but tell a common story: factory farming harms people's health, livelihoods, animals, the climate & the environment. Read the full stories 👇 friendsoftheearth.eu/news/testimo...

Testimonies: the future of livestock must care for people, small-scale farmers, nature

The European Commission presented today its long-awaited strategy for the future of livestock as part of a broader Vision for Agriculture and Food. At a time when mounting challenges in agriculture de...

friendsoftheearth.eu

The resemblance to industry recommendations is hardly surprising. The rapporteurs met only with agribusiness representatives while preparing the report. They had zero meetings with health groups or scientists.

📢BREAKING NEWS: the 🇪🇺 Parliament just scrapped basic rights for consumers, breeders, farmers, the food sector. A majority led by @eppgroup.bsky.social & far-right chose profits for a few biotech giants over our right to know what we grow, buy, eat. Over safety, over nature. Our full reaction 👇

New GMOs: EU lawmakers scrap basic rights for consumers, breeder, food sector

Today, the European Parliament failed to protect farmers, consumers and breeders in its final vote on new GMOs. A majority of MEPs decided to exclude the new generation of GMOs (so-called new genomic ...

friendsoftheearth.eu

Farmers, consumers and environmental groups call to protect right to know and limit the power of #BigAgribusiness over the European breeding sector. Support from @christopheclergeau.bsky.social for the protests #IchooseGMfree

Less than 2 weeks before the European Parliament has its final say whether new GMOs will be fully deregulated in the EU, I'm touched to learn that British groups, lead by @Beyond-GM.org successfully challenged a similar law in the UK. beyond-gm.org/victory-high...

Clear words how Europe's farmers, consumer, nature and breeder will loose, if the EU Parliament won't defend its 1st reading position on transparency and limit patents on #newGMO. #IchooseGMOfree

EU proposals on genetically modified crops will harm food safety for all - Boylan & Funchion - Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin MEPs have strongly criticised new EU proposals that roll back rules around genetically modified crops, and safety assessments for many products. The proposals on ‘New Genomic Techniques’ (NG...

sinnfein.ie

Us frying under this heat dome causing record temperatures 12-16°C above seasonal averages. Shoutout to fossil fuel corporations for fueling the #climatecrisis while cashing the checks.

Good to read that former EU Commissioners for Social Affairs reminds us what should happen: With the cost of livingnow the number-one concern for citizens, our duty is to answer with concrete solutions. .. requires a renewed and reinforced social foundation www.socialeurope.eu/deregulation...

Deregulation Will Make Europe Poorer, Not Stronger

Three former European Commissioners warn that scrapping social protections in pursuit of competitiveness will leave the Union weaker, not stronger.

socialeurope.eu

The ‘One Europe, One Market’ roadmap was signed - the EU's deregulation agenda has hit another milestone. Ursula von der Leyen seems hellbent on skipping democratic processes once again in order to rush this roadmap through. Read our reaction 👉 friendsoftheearth.eu/press-releas...

EU Roadmap ‘One Europe, One Market’: Member states giving in to the deregulation agenda driven by the European Commission - Friends of the Earth Europe

Today’s release of the ‘One Europe, One Market’ roadmap during the Informal European Council Summit marks another milestone in the EU’s rushed and relentless drive to get rid off the protections that ...

friendsoftheearth.eu

La transparencia de los alimentos en la UE está en riesgo. Consumidoras, agricultoras y ONG nos unimos para exigir reglas claras: sin etiquetado ni control, perdemos el derecho a saber qué comemos. 👉 www.tierra.org/la-transpare...

Les Amis de la Terre France@amisdelaterre.org · 4mo ago

🚨Les étiquettes alimentaires dans l'UE sont sur le point de changer. Bientôt, elles n'indiqueront plus si vos aliments contiennent de l'ADN modifié. Cela reviendrait à supprimer un droit fondamental des consommateurs : le droit de savoir ce que nous mangeons. Agir : www.blacked-out-ingredients.eu

Big Tech relies heavily on thousands of data workers for their AI products. While these workers are hired through intermediaries, Big Tech firms are responsible for their unstable and unfair working conditions.🚨 Read our analysis: www.somo.nl/big-tech-set...

Big Tech sets unfair terms and conditions for AI data workers globally - SOMO

Behind most AI products are thousands of workers who label, annotate, and clean data. Their work is essential but largely precarious and invisible.

somo.nl

🚨 BREAKING: The 🇪🇺 Parliament agreed to lock us into fossil gas blackmail MEPs approved the US-EU deal, which has been informally coupled to the purchase of 🇺🇸 LNG. To the great benefit of fossil fuel corporations. To the great expense of climate, democracy & European sovereignty. Our reaction 👇

US-EU deal: Europe locked into fossil gas blackmail

Today, the European Parliament approved the US-EU trade deal. This is bad news for Europe’s energy transition and security.

friendsoftheearth.eu

Essential messages here. We take food for granted. Our food system is extremely vulnerable. Governments are doing very little to prevent or mitigate future crises. Massive corporate interests. A bit safer if we switch to plant-based diets. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We’re letting big corporations gamble with our lives. Act now, or the food could run out | George Monbiot

The fragility of the global food system fills me with dread – and the war with Iran has exposed just how close to collapse it is, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

theguardian.com

They call it #simplification. It means pollution. Commission gives a blank cheque. Big business enjoys. People die. On #WorldWaterDay, we’re facing a dangerous shift. Business lobbies want weaker water rules, faster permits, fewer checks - for profit. The @ec.europa.eu must protect water.

Scandal alert! 🖋️ VDL has officially declined to meet the people. While she’s busy with the industry, she has declined the 270+ groups waiting for her. We’re withholding our ball because we don't talk to empty chairs. 1/2

Do you also believe politicians should protect the water we drink, the food we eat, the farmers who feed us, the nature we live in? Help us make it clear to the EU Commission: no to forever pesticides! Sign now 👉 friendsoftheearth.eu/news/for-hea...

Investment is the solution to making Europe more competitive. This is the message ETUC General Secretary @estherlynch.bsky.social carried to EU leaders from @pes.eu this morning ahead of today's #EUCO.

European Trade Unions@etuc-ces.bsky.social · 5mo ago

EU leaders gather today in Brussels to discuss how to make Europe more competitive. Across Europe, trade unions have been sending the same message: the solution lies in investment, not deregulation. A 🧵 of what unions have been saying ahead of today's meeting of EU leaders ⤵️

🚨 Job alert! Are you keen to galvanise the European network of Friends of the Earth ➕ ready to carry the torch for our mission, vision, values and strategy? Apply now ⬇️ friendsoftheearth.eu/job/job-dire... #BrusselsJobs #ClimateJobs #NGOjobs

The real innovation story is not in the Cloud. It’s in farmers’ fields. 📖 Recommended reading 👇👇

IPES-Food@ipes-food.org · 5mo ago

🚨Just launched: #HeadInTheCloud ☁️ Who controls #innovation in agriculture? BigTech + BigAg are reshaping farming through AI & digital platforms - investing 💰billions. But we’re betting on the wrong model. Let’s reclaim innovation for people & the planet. 📖Read: ipes-food.org/report/head-...

At a moment when Europe urgently needs investment for decarbonisation and a just transition, InvestEU risks reinforcing an industrial policy that protects private profits rather than driving transformative change. 🔗Read more: counter-balance.org/publications...

Industry Support at All Costs? 🇪🇺 Our new report shows how InvestEU is scaling up public guarantees while undermining a just transition. 🧵👇 🔗 Read more: counter-balance.org/publications...

Thanks for investigating on this. Still shake my head in wonder at why a German chemical company of all companies receives so many favors.

U.S. Right to Know @usrighttoknow.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Bayer has secured a string of favors from the Trump administration. What's going on? We looked at the German pesticide and pharmaceutical giant, its lobby firms and their ties to power players in Trump's Washington. Here's what we found: usrtk.org/pesticides/t...

We need #Rulestoprotect Corporate interests have pressured the heads of States into attacking vital safety, social, environmental laws. We need more, even stronger laws to protect Europe’s people and wildlife.

Friends of the Earth Europe@foeeurope.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Today, EU leaders are at a retreat in a Belgian castle to talk deregulation. Here is what SHOULD be talked about instead: Creating a bright future in which everyone can live with dignity! Last week a group of grandparents and children visited the castle and they left a message! ⬇️ #HandsOffNature

This also hinders transitions to #Agroecology, multiply energy consumption, over use of resource. Thanks Somo for great investigation

SOMO - Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations @somoamsterdam.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Exposed: Big Tech is rewriting the rules globally 🚨 In the Big Tech Lobby Playbook we reveal how these giants are shaping laws and politics in their favour, all around the world. Spoiler alert: their influence is unprecedented. 🧐 Read our analysis: www.somo.nl/big-tech-lob...

🌱Who controls innovation in farming? #BigTech is tightening its grip on our #food. But real innovations are growing from the ground up. 📢 Join us to launch #HeadInTheCloud, a landmark report challenging the false promise of digital agriculture. 🗓️ 25 Feb 🔗 Register us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

great piece from @matsengstrom.bsky.social the other side of the story are costs of non-regulation: pollution from PFAS chemicals will cost the European Union €440bn by 2050. We need better rules not lawmakers that only want to tick boxes of industry wishlists. #Rulestoprotect

euobserver — EU news that matters@euobserver.com · 6mo ago

EU leaders’ retreat needs to hear less about ‘deregulation’ from Draghi

Big Brother is feeding you. It doesn't sound nice, right? As farmers face increasing economic pressure and climate impacts, BigAgri & BigTech are teaming up to sell them a new techno-fix: digital farming through platformisation and AI. What is that? What's behind this corporate takeover? 👇

Big Brother is Feeding You - Friends of the Earth Europe

As farmers face increasing economic pressure and rising climate impacts, Big Agri and BigTech corporations are working jointly to sell them a new techno-fix: the digitalisation of farming through plat...

friendsoftheearth.eu