CAP reform must be fair to England, Norfolk farmers told
Farmers' leader Peter Kendall today called for fair treatment for England as part of Europe's reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
He told about 400 delegates at the Norfolk Farming Conference that the NFU would press for fair and equal treatment in any reform package.
Mr Kendall, who was re-elected for a fourth tem as president of the National Farmers' Union yesterday, said that Europe's reform of the CAP was not about 'protecting the status quo.'
'The NFU was not going to defend the CAP's budget at all costs. We've deliberately said that however the budget is decided across Europe, let's make sure that we're treated fairly in England and Wales and in the UK as a whole,' he added.
Speaking at the John Innes Centre on Norwich Research Park, he said that it was not politically realistic to argue that the agricultural budget must be maintained at a time when spending on schools, hospitals and the Armed Forces was under such pressure.
'This would be a pretty poor message. We can't be saying that we must have this money otherwise we'll all be going to hell in a handcart,' said Mr Kendall, who was first elected in 2006 and will now serve another two-year term.
'We know across government that they are massive cuts are to be made and if we end with 20 to 30per cent being made, we'll have to talk that on the cheek as long as everyone else gets it as well.'
Most Read
- 1 Café serving produce fresh from its farm opens in north Norfolk
- 2 Norfolk fish and chip shop named one of the 10 best in the UK
- 3 Vandals smash charity dinosaur trail T.rex and leave kebab in its mouth
- 4 Banksy mural created to spark debate after town's artwork was sold
- 5 Woman accused of exposing herself to boy outside Lowestoft park
- 6 Motorcyclist suffers serious injuries in crash with 4x4 outside village pub
- 7 Some firefighters using foodbanks amid £18m payroll system 'farce'
- 8 Flames grip barn in north Norfolk
- 9 Council refusing special school place for disabled girl
- 10 Teenager died after choking on own vomit
He said that the NFU had four key reform objectives for the new CAP, which was likely to run from late 2014.
It must be
As simple as possible
As common as possible
Maintains market focus
And does not hinder competitiveness
Mr Kendall said that Europe's plans to take as seven per cent of land out of production as 'ecological features,' did not make sense. He also questioned how the Rural Payments Agency, which administers European schemes on Defra's behalf in England, would cope with the increased bureaucratic challenges.
