Emma McClarkin MEP says cap reform needs to free farmers from red tape

East Midlands Conservative MEP Emma McClarkin has given her cautious support to a report by Albert Dess MEP on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which was adopted by the European Parliament today.

The report, which was a response to the European Commission’s ‘communication’ setting out options for reform, attempts to outline the future direction of the Common Agricultural Policy. In contrast to the Commission communication, which focused heavily on the “greening” of direct payments, including the re-imposition of set aside (fallow) land and on developing a social policy within the CAP, the Dess report advocates greening measures solely within rural development and a continuation of the generally pro-market reforms of 2003 and 2008.

Although the Dess report also includes proposals to cap the payments to large farms, which the ECR group opposes, the proposal on capping are weaker than the commission position.

Ms McClarkin said:

“The parliament’s position is not perfect. For example we fundamentally disagree with the idea of capping payments to large farms and we do not like some of the social and market interventionist ideas in it. However, it is much better than the proposals which have come out of the European Commission.

“The Dess report at least tries to continue the basic idea set forward in previous CAP reforms: that farmers should be freed up from regulation and red tape and able to respond to market forces. It also accepts that greening measures should be wholly part of the rural development part of the CAP, and should have no place in direct payments. The main challenge for agriculture in the future will be meeting the growing global demand for food.

“The commission approach appears to favour small scale production and impose yet more non food-producing demands on our farmers.

“Farmers have had enough of red tape. The last thing they need now is green tape as well. This will only hamper their ability to produce food and to feed a growing world population.

“The funds allocated to the CAP need to be spent more effectively and efficiently – this can be a value for money policy.”