The proposals appear to contain many obvious errors. Kendall believes that if they remain unchanged, they could limit production and hamper British famers’ efforts to reduce reliance on subsidies in the future.
He said: “It seems that Commissioner Ciolos remains intent on justifying part of the direct payments on the basis of compulsory actions to benefit the environment. This is despite the NFU arguing that the best way to achieve environmental benefits is through targeted, multi-annual schemes.
“Will our livestock and dairy producers who grow small areas of cereals in rotation with grass have to start to cultivate a range of arable crops? It would seem so looking at these leaked proposals. The proposal to fossilise permanent pasture as land which has been grass for five years also worries me.”
Kendall added: “It’s unbelievable that the Commission could even be thinking of banning ploughing in certain soil types. If such a ban were implemented, severe restrictions could be placed on some of England’s finest and most productive soils. The result of which would simply see production exported to other parts of the world, with worse environmental consequences, and British farmers battling with weeds and pests.
“The NFU has been a strong supporter of Commission efforts to reform the CAP in the past. We supported decoupling because we believe that the market and not the support system should determine farmers’ business decisions but these proposals look like a step back to me and a sure way of forcing farmers to remain dependant on the support from Brussels, with less regard to the market. I sincerely hope that the Commission’s thinking has moved on from these leaked drafts.”
Source: NFU
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