Alexander J. Stein
@ajstein.bsky.social
5.2K followers 240 following 2.5K posts
Agricultural economist interested in food, nutrition, health, sustainability. PhD. EU. Private account. Posts ≠ endorsements. Blocking trolls, unsupported claims etc. Posts in German at @ajstein-de.bsky.social. More info & networks at http://www.AJStein.de
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ajstein.bsky.social
Europe's main political parties agreed to roll back green rules for businesses. The Conservatives (EPP) threatened Social Democrats (S&D) and Liberals (Renew) to ally instead with the far right (French RN, Fidesz from HU, Lega from IT, Vox from ES, AfD from DE, etc.): www.politico.eu/article/soci...
Socialists cave to center-right demands to slash EU green rules
The Socialists and liberals folded after the center-right EPP threatened to ditch them and work with the far right instead.
www.politico.eu
ajstein.bsky.social
Several #chicken farms in #Germany are investigated for #animalwelfare violations. The #farms had joined the Animal Welfare Initiative—an alliance of #agriculture, #meat industry & food trade players—which speaks of isolated cases… (1/2) www-t--online-de.translate.goog/finanzen/akt...
"Enge, Dreck und Leid" für Tiere: KFC zieht harte Konsequenzen für deutsche Lieferanten
Gegen mehrere Hähnchenmastbetriebe in Brandenburg wird wegen Tierschutzverstößen ermittelt. Deren Fleisch lieferte auch an KFC, die nun reagieren.
www-t--online-de.translate.goog
ajstein.bsky.social
Indeed. Focus should be on regulating ends, not means, outcomes, not processes. Problem solved. Criticism of processes is often (ab-)used to target specific companies or industries that use it, even if it means others then cannot use it, either. (Be it e.g. modern plant breeding or food processing.)
ajstein.bsky.social
"I'm big troll!" is more like it. Blocked.
ajstein.bsky.social
That's wrong. Also pig meat is still bad for the environment. Eating a predominantly plant-based diet is best for the environment (and health, and animal welfare). Be it pulses like beans & lentils, or plant-based meat alternatives. ourworldindata.org/less-meat-or...
Less meat is nearly always better than sustainable meat, to reduce your carbon footprint
Plant-based protein sources still have a lower footprint than the lowest-impact meat products.
ourworldindata.org
ajstein.bsky.social
The cow #meat industry knew about the significant #climate harms of #beef production as far back as 1989, yet took calculated steps to keep the public in the dark and to obfuscate the underlying #science, using tactics deployed by the tobacco industry: veganfta.com/articles/202... #disinformation
Cow Meat Trade Group Knew Climate Impact but Sought to Obscure It
Two recent academic papers have uncovered that the US cow meat industry, through the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), knew about the significant climate harms of cow meat production as…
veganfta.com
ajstein.bsky.social
Pet food contributes substantially to #environment pressures, driven by animal-derived ingredients. Inclusion of more #plantbased ingredients in #petfood can help mitigate its environmental footprint: doi.org/10.3389/fsuf... #dogfood #dogs #meat #beef >> Obviously, better still is not to keep pets.
Frontiers | Environmental impact of feeding plant-based vs. meat-based dry dog foods in the United Kingdom
IntroductionPet food production contributes substantially to global environmental pressures, driven largely by animal-derived ingredients. The current study ...
doi.org
ajstein.bsky.social
(2/2) … no risk-free #alcohol consumption. The government promotes #addiction when public health should trump winemakers' economic interests. Plus, #costs to the #healthcare system from alcohol-related #illnesses are enormous: taz-de.translate.goog/Deutsche-tri... #subsidies #Germany
Deutsche trinken weniger Alkohol: Agrarminister will Steuergeld in Werbung für Wein stecken
Angeblich soll es vor allem um alkoholfreie Optionen gehen, doch die beauftragte Agentur sieht das anders. Kritiker sprechen von Suchtförderung.
taz-de.translate.goog
ajstein.bsky.social
The German #Agriculture Minister wants to spend #taxpayers money on #advertising to encourage people to drink more #wine. Yet, alcohol is a key risk factor for 200 #diseases. Even in small amounts it can have long-term harmful effects on #health. There is… (1/2) taz-de.translate.goog/Deutsche-tri...
Deutsche trinken weniger Alkohol: Agrarminister will Steuergeld in Werbung für Wein stecken
Angeblich soll es vor allem um alkoholfreie Optionen gehen, doch die beauftragte Agentur sieht das anders. Kritiker sprechen von Suchtförderung.
taz-de.translate.goog
ajstein.bsky.social
Doesn't help if the moderators misclassify content, as they did here (blocking the painting as "adult content" instead of flagging it as "non-sexual nudity", the latter of which would already have been a bit far-fetched). This is more than precaution.
ajstein.bsky.social
#Germany offers favourable conditions for grain #legumes, but subsidy schemes failed to increase the area under cultivation and #farmers report a lack of market incentives. Regional #markets are not integrated and show fragmented market structures: doi.org/10.1186/s401... #agriculture #subsidies
Can market fragmentation explain the limited success of political attempts to promote grain legume cultivation in Germany? - Agricultural and Food Economics
Grain legumes, such as field peas, field beans, sweet lupins and soybeans, are known to increase biodiversity within the appropriate crop rotation and are an important source of import-substituting feed protein. National and regional policy schemes have long tried to support the cultivation of grain legumes. Although many regions in Germany offer favourable conditions for grain legumes, previous subsidy schemes have failed to increase the area under cultivation and farmers report a lack of market incentives. Indeed, the available price data exhibit a substantial share of non-random missing values in weeks when grain legumes were not traded. We analyse these non-price periods using cointegration tests and single-hurdle Tobit models. The results indicate that regional price formation for grain legumes in German regions depends not only on a minimum quantity of the respective legume crop in supply but also on a favourable supra-regional soybean price: Regional grain legume markets are not integrated and show evidence of a fragmented market structure. This may explain why local grain legume value chains have failed to emerge in Germany, despite decades of policy attempts to support these crops.
doi.org
ajstein.bsky.social
If there's a category "non-sexual nudity" for "artistic nudes", why block a painting as "adult content" = "explicit sexual images"?! And painted blue breasts are not even "nudes". Perhaps I don't want *explicit* images in my timeline but don't mind paintings. Then I have to leave "adult content" on.
ajstein.bsky.social
@moderation.bsky.app Are you serious? A surrealist painting is "Adult Content"? Because painted (blue) breasts can be seen? (Have you ever watched TV or been on the Internet?) What's going on in your heads? This is not moderation but interference. Not good. No recommendation for Bluesky.
ajstein.bsky.social
IMHO this is not the same as requiring "frequent outdoor exercise".
ajstein.bsky.social
p. 2 of the minimum requirements says that from 1 Nov. until 30 Apr. cows need to get (only) 13 days/month access to on outdoor space (Laufhof oder Weide), and p. 5 details that a "Laufhof" with an open space area per cow of 2.5 m² is enough: www.afapi-fipo.ch/fileadmin/mr... Or I read it wrong...
www.afapi-fipo.ch
ajstein.bsky.social
Either way, my point was that bucolic images are one thing, but the reality (the "downsides" you also acknowledge) for the animals are another. Yet, what is usually shown are only the bucolic images... Good for PR & marketing but misleading for consumers...
ajstein.bsky.social
RAUS only requires for cows to have 10 m² total area in a stable with a small open air space: "Minimale Gesamtfläche… 10 m²/Tier… Davon minimale ungedeckte Fläche… 2.5 m²/Tier… Gesamtfläche umfasst den Liege-, den Fress- und den Laufbereich (inkl. den Tieren dauernd zugänglicher Laufhof)". No?
ajstein.bsky.social
... which also means the cows do not spend most of their time free-ranging on idyllic mountain pastures but only 3-4 months. And given that there are 1.5 million cattle in Switzerland, it also means that only a fracton even get those few months on Alpine pastures. No?
ajstein.bsky.social
EU farm subsidies ‘bankroll’ widespread #labour abuse as toothless reforms to #CAP funds fail to protect a vulnerable workforce. #Workers are exploited on Europe’s farms, while farm owners receive millions in #subsidies despite convictions relating to labour abuse: www.desmog.com/2025/09/29/r...
Revealed: EU Farm Subsidy ‘Bankrolls’ Widespread Labour Abuse
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe. Farm owners convicted of exploiting migrant workers continue to claim millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies, DeSmog can reve...
www.desmog.com
ajstein.bsky.social
A ‘Planetary Health Diet’ could save 40k #deaths a day, says a report by 70 leading experts from 35 countries. The diet is flexible, allowing adaptation to local tastes, but advises eating more #vegetables, fruits, nuts, #legumes & whole grains… (1/2) www.theguardian.com/environment/... #plantbased
‘Planetary health diet’ could save 40,000 deaths a day, landmark report finds
Diet allows modest meat consumption and would also slash food-related climate emissions by half, says report by 70 leading experts from 35 countries
www.theguardian.com
ajstein.bsky.social
(2/2) … with max. one portion red #meat per week and little added #sugar & #salt; it is compatible with many foods, cultures, dietary patterns, traditions & individual preferences, while providing adequate #nutrition, diminishing #diseases risk & promoting healthy longevity: doi.org/10.1016/S014...
Redirecting
doi.org