AGP Executive Report

German Produce: Hokkaido squash remains Germany’s favorite winter pumpkin, with the nutty, deep-orange variety filling grocery stores and farmers’ markets. Farm Funding: EU budget talks ended without agreement, as Germany and other fiscally cautious states push for cuts that could put Common Agricultural Policy funding at risk. Moselle Vineyards: A destructive fire bacterium has been found at three sites along the Moselle, with affected vines facing removal. Grain Security: Germany is urging Russia to halt Black Sea attacks that threaten grain shipments.

German Forest Research: A 24-year study by Göttingen University and Baden-Württemberg researchers found methane absorption by forest soils rose by about 3% a year at 13 sites, with warmer, drier conditions linked to the increase. Fodder Shortages: Drought has left Luxembourg livestock farmers short of feed. Some are reducing herd sizes, and autumn slaughter numbers are up 20–25%; maize for purchased feed is nearly twice last year’s price. Grain Markets: European grain prices held steady amid geopolitical uncertainty. Moselle Vineyards: A destructive bacterial outbreak has been found at three sites along the Moselle, with affected vines facing destruction. EU Farm Funding: Leaders ended their Brussels summit without a deal on the 2028–34 budget, leaving future funding priorities, including agricultural subsidies, unresolved.

EU Farm Funding: Leaders ended their Brussels summit without a deal on the 2028–34 budget. Germany is among six countries backing a smaller budget, while 17 states want to protect farm subsidies and regional funds. A proposed compromise would cut €141 billion from the Commission’s nearly €2 trillion plan, and farmers are weighing protests over possible CAP cuts. Crop Resilience: Reports warn that extreme weather is damaging European harvests, while a separate study says the region’s agricultural competitiveness is slipping behind rivals. Markets and Trade: European grain prices held steady amid geopolitical uncertainty, while Rotterdam reported lower agribulk throughput in the first nine months of 2026.

Energy Costs: EU leaders called for temporary help for households and hard-hit industries as diesel markets are expected to stay tight into 2027, adding pressure to farm and food supply chains. CAP Funding: Leaders failed to agree on the EU’s 2028–34 budget. Germany is pushing for cuts, while agricultural support remains a key point in the negotiations. Food Supply Risks: Cyberattacks overheated refrigeration systems at more than 700 French supermarkets, spoiling food and causing fires; impacts were also reported in Germany and other countries. European Soy: More than 90% of the EU’s soy use is supplied by imports. Expanding local production could reduce reliance on imported protein and nitrogen fertiliser, but soybean crops need inoculation with bacteria not naturally present in European soils.

EU Farm Funding: Chancellor Friedrich Merz is pressing for a smaller EU budget, while leaders clash over proposed cuts to the Common Agricultural Policy and regional funds. A delayed deal could leave farmers facing prolonged uncertainty over future support. Farm Competitiveness: A new study found EU crop output grew by just 0.1% a year from 2011 to 2023, lagging major rivals. It points to rising input costs, climate pressures and slower access to new technology as challenges for European farmers. Grain Security: Germany is urging Russia to halt Black Sea attacks and protect grain shipments as commercial vessels come under threat. Moselle Vineyards: A fire bacterium has been found at three sites along the Moselle, with affected vines facing destruction to contain its spread.

EU Farm Funding: Leaders are sparring over the 2028–34 budget, with Common Agricultural Policy payments among the key stakes; Italy’s Giorgia Meloni warned against a deal that cuts farm support. Grain Security: Germany urged Russia to halt Black Sea attacks threatening grain shipments, as the war keeps supply routes at risk. Crops and Livestock: Brussels confirmed the drought’s impact on 2026 harvests, while bird flu cases were reported in poultry in five European countries. Moselle Vineyards: A fire bacterium found at three sites has put affected vines at risk of destruction.

Moselle Vineyards: A bacterial disease has been found at three sites along the Moselle, and affected vines face destruction—a fresh concern for German winegrowers. Grain Security: Germany urged Russia to stop attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea and support a ceasefire to protect grain transport and food supplies. Crops and Research: Brussels confirmed drought’s impact on 2026 crop output across the EU, while German and Chinese scientists reported identifying a barley gene linked to earlier maturity.

EU Farm Funding: Germany is pushing for deeper cuts to the bloc’s next long-term budget, while Ireland’s proposal largely shields farm spending. A separate report urges more targeted CAP support and transition plans to phase out cages for laying hens. Crop Outlook: The EU has confirmed the impact of drought on 2026 harvests, adding to concerns for producers. Vineyard Watch: Luxembourg has found the fire bacterium at three sites along the Moselle. Authorities are isolating affected plants and will destroy infected vines to limit its spread. Barley Research: Chinese and German scientists have spent a decade studying a gene that could help barley mature earlier.

Food Supply Security: Cyberattacks disrupted refrigeration at hundreds of French supermarkets, spoiling fresh and frozen food and exposing vulnerabilities in food retail systems. Animal Welfare: A new report says 35.5% of EU laying hens were still kept in enriched cages in 2025; Germany has effectively phased them out. It urges targeted CAP funding to help farmers switch to cage-free housing. EU Farm Funding: Ireland’s proposed €141 billion cut to the 2028–34 EU budget would reduce agriculture and regional funding by 3%, while Germany and other net contributors say the overall plan remains too costly. Farmers are among those protesting the budget proposals. Animal Health: Avian flu has been confirmed in poultry in five European countries, while bluetongue outbreaks are spreading.

EU Farm Funding: Germany has rejected the proposed 2028–34 EU budget as unacceptable, while farmers and regions warn that budget cuts could weaken agricultural support. Harvest Outlook: Brussels has confirmed drought’s impact on 2026 crop output; Germany’s potato harvest is forecast to fall to 10.4 million tonnes. Livestock Health: Bluetongue outbreaks are spreading rapidly, with the disease and heat stress contributing to falling UK milk deliveries. Food Processing: Italy’s Euricom has agreed to buy Gelsenkirchen-based Müller’s Mühle, expanding its rice, pulse and legume-ingredient business. Ukraine Accession: France, Poland and Spain say Ukraine’s large farm sector should not hold back its EU membership talks, despite concerns among European farmers over competition and subsidies.

Aquaculture: A five-year investigation by Die Zeit and The Outlaw Ocean Project found that farmed salmon and prawns can rely on feed made from wild fish, diverting food from communities and adding pressure to fisheries. Germany imports more than 80% of its fish, even as its agriculture minister backs expanding aquaculture. Crops: Germany’s 2026 potato harvest is forecast at 10.4 million tonnes. EU Budget: Germany has rejected the proposed long-term EU budget, while farmers protest the wider spending plan. Ireland’s draft cuts funding for defence and competitiveness but largely spares agriculture and cohesion.

EU Farm Funding: Ireland’s draft 2028–34 budget would cut agriculture and cohesion funding by about 3%. Germany and other net contributors have rejected the overall proposal, while farmers and EU lawmakers protest the reductions. Crop Outlook: Germany’s potato harvest is forecast to fall to 10.4 million tonnes, as Brussels confirms drought’s full impact on 2026 EU crop output. Animal Health: Bluetongue outbreaks are spreading rapidly, adding pressure on livestock producers. Crop Research: German and Chinese scientists have spent a decade studying a barley gene linked to early maturity.

Crop Research: German and Chinese scientists identified an early-maturity gene in barley after a decade of work. It could give farmers more time to harvest and replant while preserving yield potential. Harvest Outlook: Brussels has confirmed the full impact of drought on 2026 EU crop output, raising concerns for farmers across the bloc. Animal Health: Bluetongue outbreaks are spreading rapidly, adding to livestock-health concerns. Plant Protection: Research suggests a naturally occurring fungus could help protect wheat from disease. Food Processing: A German fresh-cut processor is expanding capacity by 7,000 kilograms of lettuce a day.

Crop Losses: The European Commission says 2026’s hot, dry summer cut yields across the bloc: fresh forage maize fell 14%, grain maize 8%, potatoes 7% and sugar beet 11%. Crops matured early, while shrinking forage supplies could leave livestock farmers short this winter. German Harvest: Germany’s potato harvest is forecast to fall to 10.4 million tonnes. EU Budget: Berlin rejected Ireland’s proposed 2028–34 budget, saying the cuts were inadequate. The plan trims farm and regional funding by about 3%, though Germany and other net contributors are pressing for deeper reductions. Farm Costs: Record diesel prices are adding pressure during harvest, with fuel costs weighing on producers as governments seek new supplies.

Crop Outlook: Europe’s summer drought is expected to cut 2026 yields sharply: the European Commission estimates soybeans down 15%, forage maize 14% and grain maize 8%, with potato output down 7%. German potato growers also face a smaller harvest, forecast at 10.4 million tonnes. EU Farm Funding: Ireland’s draft budget for 2028–34 would trim agriculture and regional development funding by about 3%, while cutting other areas more deeply. Germany has rejected the overall plan as still too expensive, leaving farm support negotiations unsettled. Lower-Emission Milk Runs: FrieslandCampina plans to shift about half its collection fleet to biomethane trucks. In Lower Saxony, a member farm already makes fuel from manure and can refuel milk trucks on site.

EU Farm Funding: Ireland’s proposed 8% cut to the 2028–34 EU budget would trim agriculture and regional development spending by about 3%. Germany is among the countries pressing for deeper savings, leaving future farm support in contentious negotiations. Fuel Costs: Berlin says it will maintain sanctions on Russia after Washington eased restrictions to secure Russian diesel supplies. Higher diesel prices remain a concern for farmers and other users. Harvest Outlook: Germany’s potato harvest is forecast to fall to 10.4 million tonnes. Bio-based Industry: Verbio has commissioned a large-scale plant in Bitterfeld that uses rapeseed oil to produce renewable chemicals.