Minister Podgoršek to attend the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food will attend the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on Monday, 19 July 2021. EU ministers will discuss agricultural issues.

First, the Slovenian Presidency's six-month work programme entitled “Together. Resilient. Europe.” will be presented. Priorities in agriculture, forestry, food safety and fisheries are included in the first set of horizontal priorities under the title “Resilience and Recovery of the European Union. A strategically autonomous union”.

Conclusions are expected to be adopted on the organic action plan, published in March this year, which aims to boost the production and consumption of organic products to reach 25% of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030 and which envisages a significant increase in organic aquaculture.

The Council will also discuss animal welfare issues. The Commission will provide information on the follow-up to the "End the Cage Age" European citizens' initiative, which calls for the establishment of a cage-free farming system in the light of promoting animal welfare. The Austrian delegation will call for improvements in animal welfare in turkey farming in line with the "Farm to Fork" strategy, while the French and German delegations will report on the ban on the systematic killing of male chicks in the laying hen industry.

Ministers will also discuss topical aspects relating to the international trade in agricultural products.

Furthermore, the Council will take note of the new Forest Strategy.

A videoconference discussion on climate change adaptation will also be held with the US Secretary of Agriculture, James Vilsack.