Environmental policy proposals ‘not best way’

European farming unions continued to pile pressure on farm ministers and on the European Commission this week on the unsuitability of the present environmental proposals in the forthcoming reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

In a paper circulated to politicians and Brussels civil servants, the umbrella body for farming organisations and co-operatives, Copa-Cogeca, stressed that imposing the proposed policies covering the area from Scotland to Sicily is “neither practical nor the best way to achieve environmental benefits”.

Copa-Cogeca has insisted farmers and their co-operatives must be given a choice of greening measures to apply from an extended European Union list of measures to reflect the diverse nature of European agriculture.

There is no problem, it insisted, with the inclusion of greening measures within the overall policies but with food demand on the rise, it was vital there was a more efficient, productive agriculture.

Copa vice-president Albert Jan Maat said that with increased challenges in farming, it was no longer possible to look at issues with no concern about the impact on costs or on production capacity.

“What we need is a specific measure to promote green growth. Such a measure would also be the ideal way of putting project ideas which result from the European Innovation Partnership into operation.”

Cogeca president Paolo Bruni said much more could be achieved within the CAP if more money was invested in research.

He believed farmers and their co-operatives could contribute to the development of the economy by further developing biomass production for non-food uses, such as energy and industrial products.