Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy needs to be fair to farmers, Welsh Conservative MEP Dr Kay Swinburne has claimed.
Speaking after a meeting in the European Parliament which looked ahead to the negotiations on the next round of CAP budgets, Dr Swinburne said reform needs to take into account new challenges faced by the industry following the economic crisis.
This includes the impact of climate change and having to produce more food with less land, water and fertilisers, Dr Swinburne added.
The European Union is set to begin negotiations on the next seven year budgetary cycle to decide how much of the EU budget is allocated to the CAP. The next budgetary round will begin in 2013.
Dr Swinburne attended the meeting last week, which also heard from the Conservatives’ Shadow Agriculture Minister Jim Paice, and farming unions.
Speaking after the meeting Dr Swinburne said:
“It is clear that a fair and efficient CAP is essential for a healthy agricultural sector, particularly in Wales.
“The agricultural sector has been hit hard by the economic down turn and is facing new challenges which it did not need consider in the last seven year financial perspective, such as the impact of climate change and having to produce more food with less land, water and fertilisers.
“Despite meeting these challenges, we must ensure that the CAP is fair to farmers while leaving them free to succeed in the agricultural market place.
“The future of farming policy needs to take a more sensible approach while incorporating ideas of sustainable and inclusive growth.
“We need measures which offer support to our farmers, rather than burdening them with more and more regulation we should focus on giving them the tools so that they can compete in the market.”
