The EU's Agricultural Markets Task Force (AMTF) has presented its report to the farming sector, with the aim of it to look into the role of the farmer in the food chain to make sure he/she gets a fair return for their produce.
The establishment of the Task Force was created due to increased concern regarding global developments in the food supply chain and, in particular, the position of the producer in that chain. The Task Force was asked, therefore, to discuss a number of relevant issues all with a view to improving the position of farmers in the food chain.
Accepting the report, that reflects the result of ten months work, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan stated: "In view of recent difficulties in some specific sectors, we identified the need to strengthen the role of the farmer in the food chain with the objective of ensuring that he/she gets a fair return for their produce. Strengthening the voice and position of the farmer is a major priority for me, so the report of the Agricultural Markets Task Force is a very welcome addition to the debate on how to achieve this. We will now prioritise our consideration of the report and its recommendations with a view to delivering the appropriate policy response."
Amid concerns that farmers are bearing the brunt of price volatility and prolonged periods of low prices, the Task Force's report concludes that the policy framework governing the supply chain "can and should be further improved." Among the other conclusions, the report calls for new rules at EU level to cover certain Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs), as well as the implementation of effective enforcement regimes in Member States such as through the use of an Adjudicator.
Other recommendations include increasing market transparency, enhancing cooperation among farmers, facilitating farmers' access to finance and improving the take-up of risk management tools.
Established in January 2016, the AMTF also looked at a number of issues that will inform the debate about the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2020, underlining the challenges from those posed by the climate challenge as well as shortages of water and fossil energy. It refers to the importance of remunerating farmers for the provision of public goods and services. Finally, it underlines the importance of research and innovation – and attracting new young farmers into the sector - in responding to the challenges ahead.
