Cereal output would fall by as much as 60% for some crops if the EU’s biodiversity strategy were imposed, the leader of the European farming organisations has warned.
Pekka Pesonen, secretary general of Copa and Cogeca, an umbrella group for national farming organisations, said the biodiversity strategy does not take into account the socio-economic consequences of different targets.
The draft strategy contains proposals to cut fertiliser use by 20%, cut pesticide use by 50% and increase the amount of land in Europe under organic production to 25%, as reported in the current edition of the Irish Farmers Journal.
“As things stand currently, the biodiversity strategy will propose a set of targets and will consider impact assessments only as a second step,” Pesonen wrote in an opinion piece on the COPA-COGECA website. “For farmers, this is putting the cart before the horse.”
He described the target of having 10% of utilised agricultural areas under non-productive elements as not only cutting yields and income for farmers, but also reducing the ability of farmers to react to the market or shortages caused by adverse climate conditions and increasing global demand.
“The Commission should instead focus on win-win solutions that incentivise and promote the adoption of measures that are productive and at the same time contribute to the biodiversity, while keeping set-aside management voluntary,” he wrote.
“The Commission should also commit to developing schemes that will allow farmers to be rewarded by the market for the ecosystem services they provide.”
Pesonen doubts that the ambition to have 25% of the EU’s agricultural land should be under organic farming by 2030, a four-fold increase from the current figure of 7%, is realistic.
“The draft strategy fails to address the fact that organic production typically has yields which are 25% lower than conventional yields according to global averages,” he wrote.
“The gap is particularly large for wheat, with a yield ranging between 40% (Germany) and 85% (Italy) of conventional yields,” he pointed out.
The draft strategy fails to address the fact that organic production typically has yields which are 25% lower than conventional yields
He added that the high number of farmers who switch back from organic production to conventional every year is increasing because of production constraints, related costs, the lack of local demand and the bureaucracy and cost of certification.
“Farmers would only engage in the complex process of conversion to organic farming provided that they have long-term benefits that would come from the market. The balance between the offer and the demand is essential to maintain the economic viability of organic farmers by not reducing farm-gate prices,” he wrote.
Pesticides and fertiliser
The COPA-COGECA president warns about the impact of significantly reducing plant protection products (PPPs) and fertilisers.
“Without PPPs, yields will be significantly reduced. Depending on the crop, reductions of between 19% (wheat) and 42% (potato) have been reported,” he wrote, adding that the reductions are most acute in regions with high actual output.
“Without PPPs, including bio-pesticides, and fertilisers, the food security of 11 billion people and the economic viability of our farms are threatened.
“The draft strategy doesn’t address these potential consequences nor does it mention that farmers would, in this case, need access to an adequate toolbox of safe, effective and affordable alternatives, as well as access to the latest knowledge, technology and the best advisory services. Rather than theoretical targets, we need to work on concrete solutions,” Peonen maintained.
Read more
Exclusive: EU to cut fertiliser use by 20%, pesticides by 50%
No more delays to Europe’s Farm to Fork strategy
IFA calls for feed mills to use Irish grains
Cereal output would fall by as much as 60% for some crops if the EU’s biodiversity strategy were imposed, the leader of the European farming organisations has warned.
Pekka Pesonen, secretary general of Copa and Cogeca, an umbrella group for national farming organisations, said the biodiversity strategy does not take into account the socio-economic consequences of different targets.
The draft strategy contains proposals to cut fertiliser use by 20%, cut pesticide use by 50% and increase the amount of land in Europe under organic production to 25%, as reported in the current edition of the Irish Farmers Journal.
“As things stand currently, the biodiversity strategy will propose a set of targets and will consider impact assessments only as a second step,” Pesonen wrote in an opinion piece on the COPA-COGECA website. “For farmers, this is putting the cart before the horse.”
He described the target of having 10% of utilised agricultural areas under non-productive elements as not only cutting yields and income for farmers, but also reducing the ability of farmers to react to the market or shortages caused by adverse climate conditions and increasing global demand.
“The Commission should instead focus on win-win solutions that incentivise and promote the adoption of measures that are productive and at the same time contribute to the biodiversity, while keeping set-aside management voluntary,” he wrote.
“The Commission should also commit to developing schemes that will allow farmers to be rewarded by the market for the ecosystem services they provide.”
Pesonen doubts that the ambition to have 25% of the EU’s agricultural land should be under organic farming by 2030, a four-fold increase from the current figure of 7%, is realistic.
“The draft strategy fails to address the fact that organic production typically has yields which are 25% lower than conventional yields according to global averages,” he wrote.
“The gap is particularly large for wheat, with a yield ranging between 40% (Germany) and 85% (Italy) of conventional yields,” he pointed out.
The draft strategy fails to address the fact that organic production typically has yields which are 25% lower than conventional yields
He added that the high number of farmers who switch back from organic production to conventional every year is increasing because of production constraints, related costs, the lack of local demand and the bureaucracy and cost of certification.
“Farmers would only engage in the complex process of conversion to organic farming provided that they have long-term benefits that would come from the market. The balance between the offer and the demand is essential to maintain the economic viability of organic farmers by not reducing farm-gate prices,” he wrote.
Pesticides and fertiliser
The COPA-COGECA president warns about the impact of significantly reducing plant protection products (PPPs) and fertilisers.
“Without PPPs, yields will be significantly reduced. Depending on the crop, reductions of between 19% (wheat) and 42% (potato) have been reported,” he wrote, adding that the reductions are most acute in regions with high actual output.
“Without PPPs, including bio-pesticides, and fertilisers, the food security of 11 billion people and the economic viability of our farms are threatened.
“The draft strategy doesn’t address these potential consequences nor does it mention that farmers would, in this case, need access to an adequate toolbox of safe, effective and affordable alternatives, as well as access to the latest knowledge, technology and the best advisory services. Rather than theoretical targets, we need to work on concrete solutions,” Peonen maintained.
Read more
Exclusive: EU to cut fertiliser use by 20%, pesticides by 50%
No more delays to Europe’s Farm to Fork strategy
IFA calls for feed mills to use Irish grains
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