Ben Eagle

Originally posted on Food (Policy) For Thought:
This really is a time of change for the EU. As of next year, the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) – a behemoth that costs Europeans 58 billion Euros per year and represents almost 40% of the EU’s budget – is due to be reformed. And on March 13th, the…

Livestock Management: the solution to preventing desertification?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gzfWGDCi9qc Allan Savory directs some strong words towards the scientific community in this short lecture. He raises some highly important issues and one in particular that is relevant to a theme I am trying to raise awareness of through this blog: never discount an option for the sake of it. We must sometimes think outsideContinueContinue reading “Livestock Management: the solution to preventing desertification?”

The notion of space in environmental history

I have just been reading the introduction to ‘Alaska’s Place in the West: From the Last Frontier To the Last Great Wilderness’ (Lawrence, 2010) by American environmental historian Roxanne Willis. One particular aspect of this short essay grabbed my attention: the notion of geographical space when it comes to constructing frameworks and, particularly in thisContinueContinue reading “The notion of space in environmental history”

Social Networking: The New Frontier for Rural Businesses

Having recently become an ‘active’ user of twitter and LinkedIn and having been a very active user of facebook for some time, I have been thinking as to what real benefits such online platforms provide for rural businesses. Without mobile broadband across many rural areas businesses are unlikely to be able to use social networkingContinueContinue reading “Social Networking: The New Frontier for Rural Businesses”

Why do we need a European Common Agricultural Policy anyway?

As many readers will be aware, the Common Agricultural Policy, which makes up a significant amount of European spending, is due to be reformed in the wake of ‘Europe 2020’ (http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/index_en.htm). Between April and June 2010 a public debate was held which gathered a multiplicity of views on the future of the CAP. The resultsContinueContinue reading “Why do we need a European Common Agricultural Policy anyway?”