Calls for CAP greening common sense

Common sense must be injected into the European Commission plans to green the single farm payment, the NFU has told the EU’s leading policy makers.

NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond met with the MEPs in charge of amending the Commission’s CAP proposals in Strasbourg this week including the Agriculture Committee Chairman Paolo De Castro and lead rapporteur on CAP, Portuguese MEP Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos.

Mr Raymond said the policy must recognise the greening efforts already underway on British farms and warned against greening measures which would hamper production and harm farm competitiveness.

’Because MEPs are in charge of amending Commission proposals they have a wonderful opportunity to simplify the policy, to make it more market orientated and to help farmers become more competitive,’ said Mr Raymond.

’The Commission’s Impact Assessment indicated greening will result in a 4.8 per cent cut in farm incomes and could push food prices higher through supply-side pressures. This is unacceptable, but the problems don’t stop there.

’We fear greening could also undermine the Commission’s environmental goals by discouraging farmers from entering into environmental schemes in Pillar 2. Currently 68 per cent of English farmland is managed in optional agri-environment schemes.

’We are encouraging MEPs to recognise the efforts that many farmers are already making in delivering environmental benefits through the CAP. If Pillar 1 greening measures cannot be deleted from the text, we have told MEPs they must be common at a European level, maintain our productive capacity and minimise cost and bureaucracy.

The NFU now believes this is a crucial time to lobby MEPs. Mr Raymond added: ’Over the next six months MEPs will write amendments to improve key areas of the regulation such as on greening. This is our chance to inject some common sense into CAP reform.’ ’’’