Food Systems - ForumforAg

Interview with Cristina Bruce

In this edition of the Food Systems podcast, speaking during an interview at this year's Forum for the Future of Agriculture Annual Conference, Alex Turk talks to Cristina Bruce, Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Social Impact at Anglo American. Cristina discussed the company's focus on sustainable agriculture and the development of polyhalite resources in the North of England. She highlighted the importance of innovation in fertilizer products to address global food security and soil health challenges. With the cost of fertilizer being impacted by the Middle East conflict, this is a timely reminder of alternative sources.

Interview with Ricard Ramon

Recorded at the recent Forum for the Future of Agriculture Regional event in Dublin, Rose O’Donovan interviewed Ricard Ramon, Head of Unit for Policy Perspectives at DG AGRI, about the current state of the negotiations with the CAP. Joining online, Mr Ramon said a minimum CAP budget of around 300 billion euros is established to 2034, with significant additional resources available: a requirement that 10% of unallocated funds be spent in rural areas, worth around 48 billion euros, and a further 45 billion euros could be moved to agriculture, if spent early in the period. He highlighted that it is very important to continue to put a big focus on support for farmers’ incomes – the key is matching the right type of support to the right need, whether direct payments, investment, technology or risk management.

Interview with Michael Werz

In the latest Food Systems Podcast episode, Michael Werz, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, discusses how global instability, conflict and climate change are making resilient food systems central to future geopolitical stability. Speaking with guest presenter Mark Titterington, he warns that food is increasingly being weaponized in conflicts and that fragile supply chains, export restrictions, and fertilizer dependencies threaten global security. Michael calls for stronger multilateral cooperation, greater leadership from Global South nations, and urgent reforms to trade, agricultural policy, and food governance to build a more resilient and equitable global food system.

Interview with Barry Cowen MEP

In this episode of the Food Systems Podcast, from the Forum for the Future of Agriculture, we're diving into one of the most critical moments for European agriculture in a generation. As the EU shapes the future Common Agricultural Policy beyond 2027, we're facing a fundamental question: Can we afford the ambition we're claiming to pursue? Rose O'Donovan is joined by Barry Cowen MEP who brings his perspective on the negotiations happening right now in Brussels - and some concrete proposals for how Europe can actually deliver on its agricultural ambitions.

Interview with Jessica Agnew

In this edition of the Food Systems Podcast, Tassos Haniotis discusses trends in productivity growth in the agriculture sector globally with Jessica Agnew, Director of the GAP Initiative and Managing Editor of the Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report, Virginia Tech. They also discuss the importance of productivity growth in agriculture to meet increasing demands for food, fiber, fuels, and feed in a sustainable manner and how policy decisions - such as R&D funding levels and emission reduction targets -significantly impact productivity outcomes.