As the need to increase food production by at least 70 per cent in the next 40 years has become accepted and understood by governments across the world, the NFU is calling for the next reform of the Common Agricultural Policy to underpin this goal.
Giving evidence to the Efra Select Committee on Tuesday November 22, NFU President Peter Kendall has repeated concerns that the current proposals will undermine and hinder the businesses of English and Welsh farmers rather than help them to meet the food production and environmental challenges that lie ahead.
’The next few decades will be a crucial period for farmers’, said Mr Kendall. ’There is a growing population to feed, both at home and abroad, and we are seeing increased volatility in our agricultural markets, while contending with globalisation and concerns over our energy security and the need to protect our finite natural resources.
’The EU Commission says it wants smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for European agriculture but the proposals currently on the table, rather than support those objectives, actually move farming in England and Wales in the opposite direction.
’In particular, ideas for greening CAP payments need to be given very careful consideration. Greening will have a devastating impact on pig and poultry farmers, for example, who don’t even benefit from the payments. The Commission’s own impact assessment identifies that, faced with increased fodder costs as a result of greening, pig and poultry farmers would see farm income per worker fall by 25 per cent.
’There is also the very real issue of uncertainty that is currently preventing farmers from renewing their agri-environment scheme agreements. We want to see farmers in agri-environment schemes treated fairly and one way of doing this could be to extend the categories of farmers automatically eligible for the greening aid to those in recognised schemes.
’Each of the greening measures have their own set of perversities. Mixed family livestock farms will have an absolute nightmare if they have to start growing three crops. Taking land out of production just as a tick box exercise also makes no sense whatsoever when everyone acknowledges the food production challenge we are facing.
’How can it be sensible to increase costs on the industry at a time when we need to increase output, increase jobs, increase exports and boost our flagging economy?
’I look to the Efra committee under the chairmanship of Anne McIntosh, MP, to robustly question the Commission’s approach to greening the CAP. We also need some answers closer to home. I have heard Defra ministers repeatedly say they do not want to see English farmers disadvantaged and that they want the greening measures to be meaningful. I am yet to be convinced that this is not code for gold plating or an attempt by Treasury to reduce its spend on agriculture in the UK.’
