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The recent European-wide drought should prompt a review of proposed 5% cuts to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), according to Mairead McGuinness MEP.
“Currently, a cut in the budget is on the cards, with some member states unwilling to commit more money to fund new policy initiatives, leading to post-Brexit pressure on the CAP budget,” she said.
Review
“I will be insisting that such an approach needs to be reviewed given the weather-related problems besetting large parts of EU agriculture.”
McGuinness pointed to higher costs at farm level as a key issue that needed to be understood and reflected in the future European Parliament decisions.
Other MEPs and farm organisations across Europe have written to Commissioner Phil Hogan and urged him to take action as farm incomes decline and farmers fear they won’t be able to store enough winter fodder.
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