Young farmers can help influence European policy

YOUNG farmers were told they could play a crucial role in steering European agricultural legislation by lobbying their MEPs and making their opinions heard.

Gail MacDonald, assistant director of the British Agricultural Bureau (BAB), illustrated how young farmers could help influence European policy, since most laws affecting UK farmers were decided in Brussels, rather than Westminster.

In a session designed specifically for young farmers, Miss MacDonald said the NFU's main duties in Brussels were gathering information and intelligence to assist with lobbying the EU and MEPs on the issues which matter most to farmers. Policy priorities for 2008 included cutting red tape on farms, simplifying CAP and improving cross compliance rules.

Miss MacDonald cited BAB's potentially effective influence on the EU and its draft policy proposals for new regulations and directives. She said this early stage was crucial to the eventual outcome of how new legislation would affect UK farmers.

She said that as the European Parliament was the only directly elected institution of the EU it had the power to change proposed legislation in several areas affecting farming, including environment, CAP Health Reform and food safety. She urged delegates to become increasingly pro-active in Parliament by lobbying their MEPs on issues they feel strongly about.

"If they are told by their MEPs that they do not deal with that particular issue or they will not be covering it in Parliament or they have limited knowledge then they are being told the wrong information," she said.