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With the lifting of the pandemic lockdowns during 2021 and 2022, EU consumption of both bioethanol and biodiesel is picking up. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to surges in prices of the transport fuel blends.

In 2021, EU wood pellet consumption hit a new record of 23.1 million metric tons (MMT) mainly due to increased residential use in Germany and co-firing of wood pellets with coal in the Netherlands. In 2022, EU demand is expected to further grow to 24.3 MMT, based on expansion of the residential markets, mainly in Germany and France, boosted by support programs for the installation of biomass boilers and the high price of fossil fuels.

On June 22, 2022, the European Commission adopted its proposal for a new Regulation on the sustainable use of Plant Protection Products (SUR). The rules encourage reducing pesticides through integrated pest management and alternatives to chemical pesticides.

The European Union (EU) follows a complex, rolling system of review for active ingredients and Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in food. For agricultural inputs, U.S. farmers must know early in the process of review to prevent or mitigate the loss of, and/or access to, chemical inputs.

Despite the dramatic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, retail sales revenues in Germany have grown continuously since 2019. In 2021, the German retail sector recorded over $618 billion euros in sales revenues. Retailers benefitted from higher consumer spending for premium food products, while food service businesses suffered from low hospitality and catering demand during the series of lockdowns put in place.

The turnover of the Dutch retail sector was valued at €45.1 billion ($47.4 billion) in 2021. The sector is relatively consolidated, with the two largest food retailers controlling 58 percent of the market. Consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable products, products that are healthy and nutritious, and convenience products, and, as a result, will continue to buy more plant-based foods.

Turkey has a young population of 85 million people. The country is in a Customs Union with the EU, has free trade agreements with EFTA and 22 other countries (excluding the U.S.), and is the 23rd largest economy in the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts Turkey’s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth at 3.2 percent between 2022 and 2026.

This report provides an overview of the biofuel use mandates in EU-27 member states, including temporary changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It supplements the EU Biofuels Annual Report 2022.

On July 1, 2022, a new quota year starts for the EU High Quality Beef Quota. U.S. exporters can use this quota as well as the Hilton quota for exporting high quality bovine meat to the European Union. This report provides an update on the programs and the certification requirements for both tariff rate quotas.

Executive Summary Global fertilizer prices are at near record levels and may remain elevated throughout 2022 and beyond. Fertilizer prices account for nearly one-fifth of U.S. farm cash costs, with an even greater share for corn and wheat producers...

In an evaluation of Dutch food policy published on March 29, 2022, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Henk Staghouwer, proposed to explore the possibilities of introducing a meat tax in the Netherlands.

Food inflation in Turkey is the highest it has been in decades. Average food prices in May were up 92 percent from a year ago. One of the leading reasons behind higher food prices is the rising cost of on-farm inputs, such as fuel, fertilizer, and feed.