Bill Wirtz is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Consumer Choice Centre who specializes in evidence-based policy-making, agriculture, trade policy, and lifestyle choices. Originally from Luxembourg, he publishes in German, French, and English. Wirtz keynoted the recent CropConnect conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In an interview following the CropConnect presentation, Wirtz focused on the EU’s Farm-to-Fork Strategy.

The European Union’s agriculture reforms, introduced under the Farm-to-Fork Strategy, were set with high expectations. This strategy outlines key goals for the EU’s agricultural sector, with legislation designed to achieve them. But in Wirtz’s words, the strategy failed.

By 2030, the strategy aimed to reduce synthetic pesticide use by 50%, cut fertilizer use by 20%, and increase organic production to 25% (currently at about 10%, significantly higher than Canada but still a fraction of the total output. Reduce farmland by 10% across the EU.

These ambitious reforms were intended to promote sustainability and reduce environmental impact, though their effectiveness and impact on food production remain controversial.

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WINNIPEG – Canada should be pushing back against the European Union on agricultural regulations and its attempts to impose its policies on other countries, says a consumer advocate.

The EU has been promoting the idea of “mirror clauses,” in which farmers in other countries must follow regulations that apply to European producers.

If not, the EU won’t accept commodities such as canola and durum from Canada.

“To trade with us, your regulatory level needs to mirror ours,” said Bill Wirtz, senior policy analyst for the Consumer Choice Center, who specializes in agriculture and trade.

The consumer advocacy group is an international organization, with offices in Washington, Brussels, London and Kuala Lumpur.

“You can only export to Europe if the production methods are comparable to Europe.”

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The European approach to agricultural regulation is often seen as a model of success, notes Bill Wirtz, senior policy analyst for the Consumer Choice Center based in Washington, D.C. 

“But I’m here to tell you—it’s not the case.” 

Wirtz, who hails from Luxembourg, opened today’s CropConnect conference in Winnipeg, Man., and doesn’t mince words when it comes to the European Union’s agricultural policies. He believes they’re not only problematic for Europe but could pose a threat to Canada in terms of trade, perception, and policy influence.

“There’s this idea that Europe has things figured out, and if only you replicated their model, you’d achieve greatness,” he says. “That’s simply not true.”

Understanding the EU: A Labyrinth of Complexity

“Who here thinks they understand how the European Union works?” Wirtz asks, smirking. “Nobody does—not even the people who work in it.”

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The backlash and subsequent scaling back of environmental policies affecting European agriculture offers a lesson for governments and political parties around the world, says a policy analyst with a European consumer advocacy group.

The European Union’s Farm to Fork strategy was introduced about five years ago, and included steep restrictions on pesticide and fertilizer use, reduction in overall land use, and requirements for increased organic production. It has since come under immense pressure due to concerns about rising food prices and hurting farmers’ livelihoods, as evidenced by widespread farmer protests in many EU countries over the past few years.

“We’re really now at a point where all the political parties pretend they’re farmer parties… I’m skeptical still, but we’re going in a better direction in a sense that we’ve realized our mistakes,” says Bill Wirtz, senior policy analyst of Consumer Choice Center, discussing what can be learned from the EU’s policy approach in this interview with RealAgriculture’s Amber Bell at the Crossroads Crop Conference in Edmonton, Alta.

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