Poultry council backs end of subsidy


By John Farrant


THE Governments aims to eliminate farm production subsidies and reform the Common Agricultural Policy got support from the British Poultry Councils submission to the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food.


It also made a strong case for fairer treatment of the poultry sector and recognition that intensive is good.


After pointing out the benefits that have come from the development of the modern poultry industry, which has been market-driven and virtually unsupported, the BPC goes on to explain the problems of unfair competition that come in three main categories: regulation, competition and perception.


It then focuses on what can be done to make these better, within the UK, the EU and the WTO.


In this country, “Farming and food production should be commercially driven and not subsidised … there can be no long-term future for an industry which cannot develop in line with market forces.


“However, the Government should be prepared to take unilateral action, which may be contrary to EU or WTO obligations, to benefit countryside activities, including farming, if this is in the clear interest of social objectives for the countryside.”


Within the EU, it calls for the CAP in its present form to be scrapped and taxation in member states reduced accordingly, but the same funding should not necessarily be redeployed to other countryside schemes.


It also seeks a single market in goods and services inputs into farming, and third-country establishments wishing to export to the EU for the first time should be inspected by the EC Food and Veterinary Office.


In the WTO, which has just launched a new series of talks to conclude in 2005, it reiterates that labour values, animal welfare and environmental protection standards should be taken into account in any further liberalisation of access to EU agricultural markets.


Before new trade access rules are agreed, it points out that the existing GATT agreements should be implemented in all WTO countries, quoting the example of the USA, which is virtually closed to poultry meat imports, putting more pressure on the EU.


A further problem to be corrected is the loophole that allows existing EU tariffs to be evaded by lightly salted poultry meat.


Effects on our industry of being undercut by countries with lower standards and costs is shown by trade trends.


“Last year for the first time on record, UK poultry meat production actually declined, yet consumption increased, met from imported poultry meat … In the last decade UK imports of poultry meat have jumped from 140,000 tonnes to over 350,000 tonnes, almost all chicken.”


In making an economic, hygienic and environmental case for modern indoor production systems, operated on a large scale, to supply the major demand, the BPC points out that several integrated producers are rearing birds also in free range and organic systems.


Consumers buying preferences are determining the extent of the different systems.


In pointing out that the more efficient conversion of feed into meat through intensive systems uses fewer resources and creates less pollution, the BPC is directly in opposition to the Soil Association.


In its submission it calls for more support for organic farmers for delivering real environmental benefits.


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