For months, European farmers have been protesting what they see as excessive red tape and environmental restrictions from Brussels. Soon, they’ll have even more forms to fill out.
Under new EU rules set to apply from January, European farmers will be required to prove their cows have not been tended on land that was deforested to make space for grazing. They will also also have to make sure they are not using animal feed that contains soy or palm oil that is driving deforestation abroad.
The new law — which is part of the Green Deal — aims to curb Europe’s imports of products linked to deforestation and help preserve forests as carbon sinks.
But EU farmers are increasingly questioning whether the rules should apply to them, when most of the world’s deforestation happens outside the bloc. A number of farming groups are now joining forces with the food industry to push for delays and exemptions to the rules, which have already been finalized and signed off by the EU institutions.
