A Sinn Féin MEP and member of the EU Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development has said there are “anti-agriculture agendas” evident in Europe.
Midlands Northwest MEP, Chris McManus, made the claim at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, which took place this weekend.
He said “the positive rhetoric about thriving rural communities stands in stark contrast to the EU’s evident agenda of winding down the sector”.
And, in highlighting examples of the EU’s disregard for the agri-sector, he added:
“Firstly, budget – since the 1980s the Common Agricultural Policy’s share of the EU budget has more than halved.
“Every seven-year reform means deeper cuts. No matter what way you divide it when slicing, a shrinking cake will eventually result in everyone going hungry.”
The Sin Féin MEP also spoke of instances in trade negotiations where he said farmers were “being used”.
“The EU negotiators dangle the EU food market as a deal sweetener for trade partners.
“In the case of Brazil, this meant EU farmers could be forced to compete with 100,000t of cheap and low-quality beef, in exchange for Germany gaining a whole new Latin American market for BMW and Mercedes cars. “
“Sinn Féin believes this agenda must be fought tooth and nail. It makes little sense for us to implement the highest food-production standards, if we are losing millions of farmers due to unprofitability.
“This would result in a small number of EU farmers producing quality beef with the bulk of what we eat being shipped from half way across the world, where they destroy the rainforest and show no regard for animal welfare in the process.”
MacManus pledged his party’s commitment to a new farming future for rural Ireland, which, he said, is “environmentally sustainable, allows it to continue to be the economic engine of rural economies, and provides us with the best quality food in the world”, he said.