Last week was one of those when there was an explosion of fact, opinions and reports.
The excellent annual Agricultural Science Association conference took place in Kilkenny. I found much of it compelling, but the comments by former Commissioner Phil Hogan left me apprehensive.
He forecast that despite all the razzmatazz that Donald Trump would be elected US president, that there would be no more money for the CAP because of difficulties in the world and that Trump wanted to cause the collapse of the EU.
Closer to home, he urged us to get the nitrates issue under control and to encourage the development of co-ops to further farmers’ interests.
The desirability of farmer strength through co-ops was a theme that was emphasised by the long-awaited Strategic Dialogue report. The report, initiated by the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen before her re-appointment, was seen by many as an acknowledgement of the widespread farmer demonstrations in spring.
Chaired by a respected German academic, the group was composed of a wide selection of agri and environmental stakeholders. It had no Irish representative. Its 100 pages had statements which echo the views of many who think seriously about the future of European farming, food production, international trade and the environment.
While one of the statements on how direct payments should be targeted at those who need them most gained most of the attention, it made the point that farm income and food security were important.
It called for an increased budget to cover increased environmental demands on farmers that should be additional to the normal CAP budget.
It repeated various calls that farmers’ position in the food chain be strengthened, but apart from an expression of support for co-ops, there were no practical suggestions, such as a ban on below-cost selling.
This high-powered study was looking at the next 10-15 years.
It said little that a well-resourced farm organisation or research and academic institute could not have come up with, but that said, it can serve as a valid blueprint for the future.
SHARING OPTIONS: