Barry Callebaut: The Economics of Willy Wonka

by James Garcia

To answer the most pressing question, no, there were no Oompa-Loompas. As a part of the European Union Center 2012 Summer Study Tour to Belgium and Luxembourg, the tour participants toured the Barry Callebaut chocolate factory in Wieze, Belgium.  Barry Callebaut is an industrial chocolate producer, which means that they supply companies with liquid base chocolate, or other bulk chocolate products. Those products are then used by so-called “artisan” chocolatiers or companies which coat their products, such as cookies, baked goods, etc., in the Barry Callebaut chocolate base.

The Barry Callebaut chocolate factory’s whirling belts, robots, kettles, tanks, etc. fascinate most outsiders who tour the facility. What is truly fascinating, however, is how an industrial food company based in Europe can prosper and thrive. Barry Callebaut is currently the largest chocolate producer on the planet, producing somewhere between 20 and 30 percent of the world’s chocolate, depending on your figures. Belgium is part of the European Union, which has numerous restrictions on food production, imports, and various input costs for Barry Callebaut chocolate among other producers. The European Union legislation on cocoa and chocolate products alone is 5 pages long and lists numerous restrictions (e.g. a praline must not have less than 25% of its weight as chocolate) and names the nine different types of chocolate designated by the EU. Naturally, it is difficult to understand how a firm can continue to be the world’s largest producer of chocolate in an economically restrictive environment. From an American free-market perspective, any restriction raises input costs for a company, and causes an inefficiency. Thus, it would seem that Barry Callebaut chocolate faces significant disadvantages against a global market full of competitors with fewer restrictions.
 

According to the Barry Callebaut representative who briefed us before our tour of the chocolate factory, Belgian chocolate is not an entirely domestic product. In fact, while most people think of chocolate as a German, Swiss, or Belgian product, the basis for chocolate or the cocoa bean, is a New World native. The cocoa bean was only introduced after the first Transatlantic trade introduced by Columbus and other explorers. Today, the cocoa bean is native to Western Africa, specifically Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Barry Callebaut, therefore must face the scrutiny of high import standards as they cannot successfully grow cocoa bean in an country which receives rain 200 days of the year.
 
What Barry Callebaut lacks in sunshine, it makes up in amazing efficiency. The factory takes in fermented cocoa beans and then outputs liquid or dry final products.  The cultivation, separation, and fermentation are processes which Barry Callebaut has its contracted farmers complete overseas, as those tasks require significant manual labor, a high cost in Europe. When the beans reach Belgium they go through a mostly mechanical process until they reach the last stage as a final product. Barry Callebaut has dealt with the European Union’s stringent standards in a way that increases their efficiency and increases their products’ quality. Because the company uses robots and other non-manual processes, their chocolate comes out pure and at the lowest cost possible.
 

Some tour participants were shocked to see the packing bots operating at such quick speeds without any human assistance. In fact, someone asked, “What happened to the men who used to do this job?” Despite the reality of structural unemployment, Barry Callebaut has solved the problem of European Union regulation by investing into a nearly automated factory. Additionally, Barry Callebaut sacrifices the control of their final product to other firms who specialize in marketing, branding, etc. You won’t find their chocolate in shiny wrappers on the store shelves as its own product. This business strategy has won Barry Callebaut the world’s largest market share of chocolate and significant quality of product.

James Garcia is a teacher at Champaign Centennial High School in Champaign, Illinois. He teaches AP European History and AP Macroeconomics, among other courses. 

This article is one in a series of blog entries authored by teachers who participated in the University of Illinois European Union Center’s 2012 Summer Study Tour: Seeking Sustainable and Secure Connections in Food, Energy, and Governance. The tour to Belgium and Luxembourg was supported by a Getting to Know Europe grant from the European Commission. 

Barry Callebaut: The Economics of Willy Wonka

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Europe's Future Firsthand

by Letitia Zwickert

US news paints a concerning picture of eurozone stability and the future of the European Union. We are often faced with headlines such as: “Can the EU Survive Europe’s Crisis?” , “The European Union is Falling Apart”, and more recently “The Euro Crisis: Back to the Brink”.  From within this environment of concern and uncertainty, a group of teachers, politicians and a journalist ventured out, beyond the US to two European capitals, and the heart of it all: Brussels and Luxembourg. Amidst the eurozone crisis, emergency EU summits, and geopolitical instability, we found ourselves in the center of the largest political and economic challenge of this author’s lifetime. 

During our trip, I kept my eye out for answers to the questions being asked at home: will the eurozone remain intact, will the EU stay together, or will the EU shed its weakest members? The uncertainty left me eager for answers, and in search of the true political climate in the eye of the storm.

Image Source

The EU began as a coal and steel union (European Coal and Steel Community) after the world wars, with the purpose of creating security and prosperity for Europe. Eventually becoming the EU, the heart and soul of the union remained in one place: Brussels. It was fitting, then,  that we began our study tour in the Grand Place in Brussels, a medieval display of European commerce and economic unity. From a thriving 11^th century market place transformed into a 14^th century architectural marvel by various local guilds, the Grand Place represents the early commercial development of Europe. Today, it is a vibrant area full of tourists enjoying Belgian chocolate, Belgian beer, and the beautiful historic sites, all with thoughts of the future of the EU on their minds.

Image Source

Our trip offered us the opportunity for a better understanding of the EU through a series of presentations at the European Commission.  The study tour happened to coincide with the crucial June EU Summit, which left us all with many questions. One presenter in particular, Jakob Bork, was able to feed our appetite with a stimulating discussion providing answers that had yet to be revealed.  Receiving the scoop about why countries really want to join the EU, what power the Council of Ministers really have, and the real financial issues underlying the current economic concerns, I came away feeling I had just been given an insider’s view of the inner workings of the EU. 

We also visited NATO headquarters the very day Turkey came to NATO requesting to invoke Article 5 by asking for intervention against Syria after an attack on their military planes (Turkish F-4 Warplane ‘Shot Down’).  With all the buildings bustling with this energy, we sat down to listen to two speakers inform us on their views of NATO’s mission and NATO’s place in the world. NATO’s new mission statement (see NATO’s New 10-Year Mission Statement) underscores the goal of EU security.  Given the current economic crisis, NATO has become a central instrument in helping to provide security while alleviating some of the economic burden of a independently, fully funded state defense program.  This cooperation is everything the EU itself stands for: increased interdependence as a means of lasting European peace. And yet, in this economically strained climate, I found myself wondering if the political and social pressures will allow the cooperation to continue?  And, as Europe emerges from this crisis, will the EU have new expectations of NATO?

Image Source

The European Court of Auditors provided another interesting window into understanding the EU. Our presenter, Jussi Bright, laid out ECA’s history and responsibilities as an institution structurally independent of the EU. Each EU budget line item is audited here. Mr. Bright highlighted the financial challenge of a global political entity with 23 official languages. The simple need to print all findings and reports in all the languages makes the need for an increased usage of e-technologies paramount. In regards to the current economic climate, Mr. Bright pointed to the countries themselves: the responsibility of each EU state to have controls in place that to manage their own economies and reinforce healthy fiscal policy. Here we begin to understand the current limits of EU influence over their own members. 

Our study tour took place during an exceptional time in history, and gave us a firsthand view of what the future might hold for the European Union. From the trip emerged a group of individuals who gained an exceptional amount of knowledge about the inner workings and vision of the EU. And like the EU, which will come out of the current crisis more equipped to take on future challenges, we are now better professionals for having had the experience. Thank you EU CENTER!

Letitia Zwickert teaches Cultures of the World and International Relations courses at Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois.

This article is one in a series of blog entries authored by teachers who participated in the University of Illinois European Union Center’s 2012 Summer Study Tour: Seeking Sustainable and Secure Connections in Food, Energy, and Governance. The tour to Belgium and Luxembourg was supported by a Getting to Know Europe grant from the European Commission. 

Europe's Future Firsthand

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Peace and Prosperity: The Underlying Purpose of the European Union

by Chris Bryant

For those currently cynical and skeptical about the European Union, I have some advice: go visit a cemetery from one of the numerous wars fought in Europe. That ought to put things in perspective for you.

It is no secret that the European Union is in crisis. By all accounts, it is extremely serious. We are in “day to day” territory. It is impossible to make predictions about what will happen. Some see catastrophe, others see some minor reforms coming and others see opportunity for meaningful, positive change.

The history is well known: from six countries in the European Coal and Steel Community to further expansion and the eventual Maastricht Treaty leading to a common currency and a union with twenty seven nations, twenty three official languages and a market of more than five hundred million people and twenty per cent of the world’s economic output. It is too big of a market to be ignored and what happens in Europe affects the world economy.

On our recent trip to Belgium and Luxembourg, some of us visited the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial. Over five thousand troops are buried there. Included are twenty two sets of brothers and Gen. Patton. Most of the troops were killed in the famous Battle of the Bulge of World War II. You see lines of crosses and stars of David. It is impossible not to be moved.

Such a visit must be a stark reminder to an alternative future for Europe. If nothing else, the European Union has kept the peace among member states. What is the price tag for such an accomplishment? American politicians should lay off the “Europe bashing” and be grateful that we have allies in Europe who have kept the peace and have provided a huge market for our products, as well as share our dedication to democracy and the rule of law. We certainly have our own problems to deal with, but we can at least give moral support in saving an amazing institution of peaceful cooperation.

Chris Bryant is a social studies teacher at Cranbrook Upper School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Previously, he taught at Lake Forest High School (Lake Forest, Illinois). Chris has participated in numerous curriculum development activities of the EU Center.

This article is one in a series of blog entries authored by teachers who participated in the University of Illinois European Union Center’s 2012 Summer Study Tour: Seeking Sustainable and Secure Connections in Food, Energy, and Governance. The tour to Belgium and Luxembourg was supported by a Getting to Know Europe grant from the European Commission. 

Peace and Prosperity: The Underlying Purpose of the European Union

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From Brussels to Luxembourg; A Gardener's Perspective

by Kristin Aye-Guerrero

As I was scurrying about preparing to make pickles from my cucumbers in the garden, my mind drifts back to Europe. This year’s EU Center summer study tour took us to Brussels and Luxembourg. I would like to thank the EU Center, Illinois Trade Office in Brussels, University of Luxembourg, as well as the EU for this trip. The theme of our visit and four-day work shop before we departed was titled; “Seeking Sustainable and Secure Connections in Food, Energy, and Governance”. I found the topic of agriculture and energy policy fascinating. Our family still farms, and although I live in a suburb of Chicago, I garden to keep close to my roots. I believe there may be a pun in that last statement but it was unintended! One assumes there will always be food here in the states, after all, doesn’t Jewel make it? So to learn about the roots of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) and the importance it holds for EU member states in dealing with problems of food supply, plant and animal disease, and sustainability, should serve as a wakeup call to Americans. I am looking forward to sharing with my students the similarities and differences between agricultural policy in the EU and those here at home.

Another revelation was the seriousness that the EU members take regarding the environment and sustainability. In Brussels there are bike rental racks everywhere as well as electric chargers for cars right on the street. You can sense that climate change and conservation are a part of the popular consciousness. Also a preservation of history is also quite evident. Not just from the preservation of Gothic Churches and Baroque buildings.  More than one speaker referenced World War II when discussing the importance of the EU. Moreover, agriculture is their history. As we drove through the countryside, the Romantic notion of pre-industrial life was evident in the free roaming cattle and sweeping fields of grain. As we sat and enjoyed our La Chouffe beer at the Brasserie D’ Achouffe in rural Belgium, I spied a few domestic ducks and geese belonging to the owners.  However, as a naturalist as well as a gardener, I was a bit surprised by the absence of wild animals and birds and even insects. Most of the Ardennes Forest near the brewery has been planted for the timber industry. There were fisheries near the brewery to try and replenish fish for the local stream, which is a good sign. I believe that part of the CAP of the EU that requires a 7% set aside of lands for nature is a positive step for EU member states towards preserving not just their man-made history but all of their history like indigenous plant and animal species. 

In beautiful Luxembourg I had the opportunity to explore a bit, and discovered the community gardens on open lands below castle walls and near train tracks. The gardens were another example of preserving history. The plants growing were cabbages, potatoes, broccoli, and other typical vegetables used in a European kitchen. Alas we only had two days in Luxembourg, a wonderful medieval city.  At the top of this article is a picture of one of the community gardens in Luxembourg. I would love to see these all over the U.S. If you are concerned about food supply and the environment I have two suggestions for you to get more involved:

• To become educated about our own energy policy and voice your opinion, visit www.gaslandthemovie.com.
• To learn about urban agriculture and how you can help, visit http://www.auachicago.org/. 

Kristin Aye-Guerrero teaches AP World History and AP European History at South Elgin High School in Illinois.

This article is one in a series of blog entries authored by teachers who participated in the University of Illinois European Union Center’s 2012 Summer Study Tour: Seeking Sustainable and Secure Connections in Food, Energy, and Governance. The tour to Belgium and Luxembourg was supported by a Getting to Know Europe grant from the European Commission. 

From Brussels to Luxembourg; A Gardener's Perspective

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European Union Center 2012 Summer Curriculum Development Workshop: Food & Energy Security and Sustainability: A Comparative Look at the European Union and the US

2012 Summer Curriculum Development Workshop

Food & Energy Security and Sustainability:
A Comparative Look at the European Union and the US

Tuesday, June 12 - Friday, June 15, 2012

• Pertinent Info
• On-line registration
• Schedule
• Background Readings

The University of Illinois and The European Union Center (EUC) invites K-12 and community college educators to take part in this 3 1/2-day workshop to develop a more effective curriculum on energy and food security and sustainability issues and contoversies in Europe and the US. These materials may be incorporated into a variety of courses, such as foreign language, world geography, world cultures, world/US history, politics, economics, and business. While all K-16 teachers are welcome, the curriculum materials are geared mainly towards high school and community college education. The workshop will feature presentations from University of Illinois faculty and other specialists.

SUMMER STUDY TOUR TO EUROPE
This workshop will also serve as an orientation workshop for the Summer Study Tour to Europe (June 23-30, 2012). For further information, please visit the Summer Study Tour 2012 webpage.

Application Deadline for the Study Tour was February 29, 2012.

Pertinent Info

• Application Deadline: May 7, 2012 (workshop registartion is now closed)
• Online Registration Registration is now closed!
• Cost: $100
  Please make checks payable to "University of Illinois." Send your checks to:
  
  European Union Center
  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  328 International Studies Building, MC-429
  910 S. Fifth Street
  Champaign, IL 61820
• Travel Grants: Travel grants up to $150 are available.
• Credit: CPDUs (for Illinois teachers) or University of Illinois CEUs for non-Illinois teachers are available. 3-4 University of Illinois graduate credits are available, please contact Sebnem Ozkan at asozkan@illinois.edu, 217-244-0570 for further information.
• Housing: Housing will be provided at the Illini Tower, a private dorm on campus. We reserved your rooms for 3 nights from June 12 (check-in) to June 15 (check-out).
  * We can provide additional reservations for the nignt of June 11th only if you will be traveling more than 250 miles to attend the conference, due to budgetary restrictions and University policies. Amenities: Please note that you will be sharing a suite with another teacher. The suite is fully furnished and has A/C. It features two separate bedrooms and a shared living room, kitchen and bathroom. Towels, blankets, and sheets are provided, and extras can be obtained at the desk, which is open 24/7. Unfortunately, there are no pots, pans, or utensils stocked in the rooms themselves and hangers are not provided- the EUC will provide paper cups and plates in your rooms. There is a refrigerator in the room but no microwave. There is internet access for free in all rooms (you need to bring an ethernet cable or rent one from the front desk), located behind the desks. The whole first floor is wireless. Local calls are free, and there is a stock of phones at the front desk available to take.
  
• Meals: Breakfast and some meals will be provided by the European Union Center. Breakfast is available daily in the Illini Tower cafeteria from 7 – 8 am.
  
• Parking: If you requested parking, when you arrive at the Illini Tower, you will check in and receive a parking space inside so that you can park. You might need to park at a meter briefly while you check-in.
• Contact: For more information contact Sebnem Ozkan asozkan@illinois.edu, 217-244-0570.
• Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant and the European Commission's "Getting to Know Europe" grant.

Schedule

Tuesday, June 12

Workshop location: All sessions are held at Illini Tower - THINK Study Lounge on the first floor if not noted otherwise.
Illini Tower
409 E. Chalmers St., Champaign
Web: http://www.illinitower.net
Phone: 217-344-0400
To locate Illini Tower: http://www.campushousing.com/uiit/html/locate_us.php

Workshop location: All sessions are held at Illini Tower - THINK Study Lounge on the first floor if not noted otherwise.
Illini Tower
409 E. Chalmers St., Champaign
Web: http://www.illinitower.net
To locate Illini Tower: http://www.campushousing.com/uiit/html/locate_us.php

8:00am - 4:00pm

Check-in at Illini Tower Location: 409 E. Chalmers St., Champaign
Web: http://www.illinitower.net
Phone: 217-344-0400
To locate Illini Tower: http://www.campushousing.com/uiit/html/locate_us.php

4:15pm

EUC staff will be available at the Illini Tower lobby to escort you to the ACES Library for the workshop registration and keynote address/dinner.

4:30 – 5:30pm

Workshop Registration, Introduction & Meet and GreetLocation: ACES Library (Heritage Room), 1101 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana

5:30 – 7:00pm

Keynote Address: "Urban Food Systems: Sustainability, Public Policy, and Social Inequality"

Keynote Speaker: Dorceta Taylor, Professor and Environmental Justice Field of Studies Coordinator, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan

Welcoming remarks and introduction: A. Bryan Endres, Director, European Union Center; Associate Professor of Agricultural Law, University of Illinois

Location: ACES Library (Heritage Room), 1101 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana

6:30pm

Welcome Dinner
Location: ACES Library (Heritage Room), 1101 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana
EUC staff will escort you back to the Illini Tower after dinner.

Wednesday, June 13

Workshop location: All sessions are held at Illini Tower - THINK Study Lounge on the first floor if not noted otherwise.
Illini Tower
409 E. Chalmers St., Champaign
Web: http://www.illinitower.net
To locate Illini Tower: http://www.campushousing.com/uiit/html/locate_us.php

7:00 – 8:00am

Breakfast (provided) – Breakfast is available daily from 7–8 am in the Illini Tower Cafeteria. Please simply show the cashier your nametag.

8:30 – 10:00am

“Understanding the EU and EU Institutions: A brief overview” (presentation)
Speaker: Kostas Kourtikakis, Research Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Illinois

10:00 – 10:15am

Break – coffee, tea, and light refreshments provided

10:15 – 11:45am

“Food Sustainability in the EU” (presentation)

Speaker: Bernd van der Meulen, Professor of Law and Governance, Wageningen University, the Netherlands

11:45am – 1:15pm

Lunch (provided) and "Curriculum Resources and Using the Web & Images for Teaching the EU” (presentation)

Speaker: Adam Heinz, EUC Graduate Assistant and MA Student in EU Studies, University of Illinois

1:15 – 2:45pm

“The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security” (presentation)

Speaker: Lisa Ainsworth, Assistant Professor of Plant Biology and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois

2:45 – 3:00pm

Break – coffee, tea, and light refreshments provided

3:00 – 4:30pm

“The Farm Bill and Common Agricultural Policy” (presentation - Note: This video is an earlier version of the presentation, as delivered by Professor Bullock for the EUC's lecture series.)

Speaker: David Bullock, Professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois

4:30 – 7:00pm

Free time and dinner (on your own)

7:00 – 9:00pm

Movie "Fresh" and post-screening discussion led by A. Bryan Endres, Director, European Union Center; Associate Professor of Agricultural Law, University of Illinois

Thursday, June 14

Workshop location: All sessions are held at Illini Tower - THINK Study Lounge on the first floor if not noted otherwise.
Illini Tower
409 E. Chalmers St., Champaign
Web: http://www.illinitower.net
To locate Illini Tower: http://www.campushousing.com/uiit/html/locate_us.php

7:00 – 8:00am

Breakfast - (provided) – Breakfast is available daily from 7–8 am in the Illini Tower Cafeteria. Please simply show the cashier your nametag.

8:30 – 10:00am

"Animal Welfare: Food or Friend: EU and US Perspectives" (presentation)

Speaker: Jim Pettigrew, Professor of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois

10:00 – 10:15am

Break – coffee, tea, and light refreshments provided

10:15 – 11:45am

“US and EU Environmental Policies” (presentation)

Speaker: Robert Pahre, Professor of Political Science, University of Illinois

11:45am – 1:15pm

Lunch (provided) and “EU-Turkey Energy Partnership” (presentation)

Speaker: Lauren Turk, MA Student in EU Studies-- Graduate, University of Illinois

1:15 – 2:45pm

“EU Bioenergy Policy: An Introduction and Ensuring Environmental and Social Sustainability” (presentation)

Speaker: Jody Endres, Assistant Professor of Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law, University of Illinois

2:45 – 3:30pm

Break – coffee, tea, and light refreshments provided

3:30 – 5:00pm

“Challenges in Creating Sustainable Transport Systems” (presentation)

Speaker: Julie Cidell, Assistant Professor of Geography, University of Illinois

5:00 – 5:15pm

Break

5:15 – 6:45pm

“Approaches to Spent Nuclear Fuel in Europe and the US” (presentation)

Speaker: Cliff Singer, Professor of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois

7:30 – 9:30pm

Dinner (provided) and the University of Illinois College of ACES (Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences) IBIP (International Business Immersion Program), including short films by IBIP students and presentation by Jessa Barnard, Experiential Learning Coordinator, College of ACES, University of Illinois (presentation)

Friday, June 15

Workshop location: All sessions are held at Illini Tower - THINK Study Lounge on the first floor if not noted otherwise.
Illini Tower
409 E. Chalmers St., Champaign
Web: http://www.illinitower.net
To locate Illini Tower: http://www.campushousing.com/uiit/html/locate_us.php

7:00 – 8:00am

Please check out of Illini Tower and return parking key. You will not need your parking key to leave the garage -- garage doors are operated by censors.

Breakfast - (provided) – Breakfast is available daily from 7–8 am in the Illini Tower Cafeteria. Please simply show the cashier your nametag.

8:00am

Meet at the lobby of Illini Tower and drive to the Prairie Fruit Farm and Creamery -- transportation will be provided.

8:15 – 10:00am

“Visit to the Prairie Fruit Farm and Creamery”
Location: 4410 N. Lincoln Ave., Champaign
Tour guides: Wesley Jarrell and Leslie Cooperband (farm owners)

10:00 – 10:15am

Drive back to the Illini Tower and Break

10:15 – 11:15am

“2012 Farm Bill, School Nutrition & Farm-to-School Programs” (presentation)

Speaker: Julia Govis, Urban and Small-scale Organic Agriculture Research Institute, University of Chicago; State Lead for Illinois, National Farm to School Network

11:15am – 12:15pm

“Food Policy Councils: Their Role(s) and Transformative Potential” (presentation)

Speaker: Michaela Tarr, Graduate Student at the Michigan State University

12:15 – 2:15pm

Lunch (provided), Group Discussion on “Teaching food and energy security in the classroom”, Evaluation, CPDU/CEU distribution, and Final wrap-up

2:15 – 3:45pm

“Study Tour to Europe” orientation and information session (for tour participants)

*Required for teachers/students who are going on the “Study Tour to Europe”

The workshop is approved for 25 CPDUs/2.5 CEUs.

Background Readings

Wednesday, June 13

"Understanding the EU and EU Institutions: A Brief Overview" - Kostas Kourtikakis

• eufocus: Understanding the European Union
• The European Union: A Guide for Americans – Ch. 1 & 2
• Desmond Dinan. “Ever Closer Union: An Introduction to European Integration” (Lynne Rienner Publishers, 4th Edition, 2010) (optional, for more details)

"Food Sustainability in the EU" - Bernd van der Meulen

• European Commission: Environental Sustainability of the Food Chain (webpage)
• Environment, Sustainability and Food Supply Challenge

"The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security" - Lisa Ainsworth

• eufocus: The EU and Food Security
• Schmidhuber and Tubiello, “Global food security under climate change”
• Gregory, Ingram and Brklacich, “Climate change and food security”

"The Farm Bill and Common Agricultural Policy" - David Bullock

• Commission: The Common Agricultural Policy Explained
• BBC News: Q&A: Reform of EU farm policy (webpage)

Thursday, June 14

"Animal Wellfare: Food or Friend: EU and US Perspectives" - Jim Pettigrew

• euinsight: EU Animal Welfare Policy
• NY Times, “E.U. Push on Animal Welfare May Open New Trade Front with U.S.”

"US and EU Environmental Policies" - Robert Pahre

• eufocus: Climate Change and Energy: 20 20 20 by 2020
• Renewables make the difference
  

"EU Bioenergy Policy: An Introduction and Ensuring Environmental and Social Sustainability" - Jody Endres

• Commission Green Paper: A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy

“Challenges in creating sustainable transport systems" - Julie Cidell

• EU Bookstore: Towards low carbon transport in Europe
• EU Bookstore: Innovating for a competitive and resource-efficient transport system
• EU Bookstore: 10 out of ten: TEN-T Project Implementation Successes

"Approaches to Spent Nuclear Fuel in Europe and the US" - Clifford Singer

• University of Illinois ACDIS: ‘Plan D’ for Spent Nuclear Fuel
• ENSREG: Spent fuel and radioactive waste directive
• USNRC: Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel (webpage)

Friday, June 15

"2012 Farm Bill, School Nutrition & Form-to-School Programs" - Julia Govis

• USDA: Legislative History Related to Farm to School
• Resource: USDA: Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food (webpage)
• Resource: Illinois School Nutrition Association (webpage)

Other Related Resources

• euinsight: The EU: Keeping Food Safe from the Farm to the Fork
• euinsight: Organic Agriculture in the European Union
• eufocus: Energy Security and the EU’s Path to a Low-Carbon Economy
• eufacts: Europe 2020: A European Strategy for Smart, Sustainable, and Inclusive Growth
• eufocus: The EU and Food Security
• eufocus: The EU and Energy Security
• European Commission Green Paper: A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy
• Tortajada, “Water Governance: Some Critical Issues”
• World Bank, “Good Governance for Good Water Management”
• eufocus: Climate Change and Energy: 20 20 20 by 2020
• European Commission: Being wise with waste: the EU’s approach to waste management
• eufocus: The European Union and the United States: A Long-Standing Partnership
• Office of the US Trade Representative: European Union
• EU Bookstore: Education on energy
• EU Bookstore: Europe’s energy future
• EU Bookstore: Environment fact sheet: Energy for sustainable development
• EU Bookstore: Soil: The hidden part of the climate cycle
• EU Bookstore: Agriculture…Go! (flashcard)
• Europa: How the EU Works
• Europa: The EU in Slides
• Europa: Teaching material

European Union Center 2012 Summer Curriculum Development Workshop: Food & Energy Security and Sustainability: A Comparative Look at the European Union and the US

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Curriculum Development Workshop visits Local Farm

On June 15, members of the EUC staff and attendees of the 2012 Summer Curriculum Development Workshop visited the Prairie Fruit Farm and Creamery, a farm located in Champaign, IL. This visit was part of the workshop's theme, "Food and Energy Security and Sustainability."

Check out a photo album of the visit here.

Curriculum Development Workshop visits Local Farm

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Transatlantic Educators Dialogue helps European and American educators connect

The Transatlantic Educators Dialogue (TED) is an EUC sponsored event connecting educators in the US and the EU. The College of Education recently published an article about TED. Check out the article below or by clicking here.

An educator from east-central Illinois wouldn't ordinarily have the opportunity to discuss a riveting educational issue with a peer over coffee, at least not a peer from Denmark or Poland, for instance. And they probably wouldn't be able to discuss how immigration affects classroom dynamics in the European Union versus the U.S. or whether sharing artwork of a nude would raise parental eyebrows at the local school board meeting. (What's considered pornography in America is considered art and perfectly acceptable in some European countries.)

Bring to the scene a computer with internet, a cup of coffee (optional), and Transatlantic Educators Dialogue (TED), and voila, you have the perfect setting for some really good educational dialogue with an international flair.

TED provides an opportunity for educators to connect with colleagues in other countries to share their opinions, openly discuss their views, and learn from each other. The weekly sessions are led by TED participants on a rotating basis, and discussions focus on current educational issues. In addition to what they learn during the weekly discussions, the leaders in charge of each session prepare 30-minute lesson plans based on their respective week's content and share these at the last session of the Dialogue.

Lucinda Morgan, a Ph.D. student in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership who works in the College of Education's Office of International Programs, has coordinated TED since its creation in the fall of 2009. Using Moodle asychronically throughout the week prior to the TED session, participants share articles and videos, post comments on topic-specific forums, and send messages to fellow dialoguers.

Sponsored by the European Union Center (EUC) in the International Programs and Studies office on campus and co-facilitated by the College of Education, the EUC recruits the European participants for the Dialogue and Morgan recruits U.S. educators through College of Education networks. There is a brief application process to ensure a wide array of demographic representation. In addition to participants in the United States, around 20 European countries are typically represented during each TED session.

The Dialogue currently underway started mid-February and meets weekly on Sundays for 90 minutes synchronously at noon U.S. CT/5 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time. It will wrap up May 6. TED received 188 applications and out of those applicants, 65 educators were accepted. From the 65 individuals accepted, two groups were formed.

Upon successfully completing TED, U.S. educators receive six ISBE-approved continuing education units. Participation in the Dialogue is free of charge. Participants may be current teachers, pre-service teacher education students, school administrators, graduate students, college faculty, or involved in educational organizations.

While two to three European educators apply per available TED slot, U.S. applicants don’t come forth quite as readily, according to Morgan. Consequently, more U.S. educators are encouraged to apply in the future. The next TED will be offered in the spring of 2013.

Morgan said feedback about the program has been positive. "Teachers across the world face many of the same types of issues, but in different contexts. Through TED, they can discuss how different issues affect them locally, such as ESL concerns in the U.S. and varying language dialects in Europe, and it connects them globally," Morgan explained. "Not all teachers have the opportunity to talk to teachers in other countries or to teach there, so TED gives them the platform to share and compare contemporary classroom issues."

Along with geographical differences, the age of participants also varies. While some educators are 25 years old, others have taught for 45 years, according to Morgan, which helps to bring a variety of perspectives to the virtual table.

For more information about Transatlantic Educators Dialogue and about future sessions, contact Lucinda Morgan at lmorgan4@illinois.edu or 217-244-3581

Transatlantic Educators Dialogue helps European and American educators connect

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