CAP deal faces likely delay, warns Julian Sturdy MP
Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy is unlikely to be agreed on time, delegates at the Northern Farming Conference were told.
“We must be realistic – all EU countries are tightening their belts and we are going to have to do our share of this,” said Julian Sturdy MP.
The timelines were so tight it was unlikely a new CAP agreement would come into effect on 1 January 2014, he told delegates at the Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate.
“A lot will depend on the EU budget discussions later this month and how quickly they will progress or not,” said Mr Sturdy on Friday (9 November).
His comments came days after Brussels said special measures could be introduced to stop farmers from falling into a bureaucratic black hole caused by delays to CAP reform.
Brussels said it could introduce temporary measures to avoid a legal void after MEPs postponed an important vote on CAP reform proposals until after EU budget talks on 22-23 November.
The vote by MEPs will now take place in January and this prompted renewed concern that the reform timetable is too tight for a new CAP agreement to come into effect a year later.
Given the right EU framework, government support and access to markets, Mr Sturdy said he honestly believed there were incredible opportunities UK agriculture.
But it would only work if the right kind of people were attracted into farming.
The Conservative MP for York Outer farms in his own right and is a graduate of Harper Adams University College, Shropshire.
“Our industry needs those young farmers – the young businessmen and women of the future – to take our industry to the next level,” said Mr Sturdy.
“Our industry needs those young farmers – the young businessmen and women of the future – to take our industry to the next level.”
Julian Sturdy
But farmers faced a number of challenges that meant all producers needed to innovate – whether they were large farmers or small-holders.
As farmers were aware, those challenges included high feed costs, rocketing energy costs and animal diseases – as well as the global market place.
Food security was going to become a bigger issue for all governments but it didn’t mean farmers could sit back and assume the market would provide an income, said Mr Sturdy.
The government was determined to be a champion for British industry, and DEFRA was working with the Department for Business to develop an agri-tech strategy for farming.
The agri-tech initiative would help put farmers at the forefront of innovation, increasing yields and helping farm businesses adapt to climate change, Mr Sturdy said.
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