Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has said that European politicians and policymakers need “to consider and listen very carefully to the views of farmers across Europe”.
Minister McConalogue made the comments in Brussels today (Monday, February 26) where he is attending a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries (AgriFish) Council of the EU.
He said that it was important to listen to farmers in relation to the need to put an increased emphasis on the “massive work they’re doing” in relation to food production.
He welcomed measures to aid in the simplification of schemes and measures for farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Minister on CAP budget
The minister also referenced the budget made available for CAP and said it is important that it is increased going forward when developing the next policy.
He said: “We’ve seen that in terms of the income for farmers… that income hasn’t kept pace with what’s happening in other parts of life.
“And that’s something that we have to address as we go forward as well. Making sure that the CAP budget reflects the massively important work that farmers are doing on a day-to-day basis, in terms of providing food security, and top class, safe and sustainable food to people across Europe.”
When questioned if environmental concerns would have to take a ‘back seat’ to farmers’ needs, Minister McConalogue said: “No I don’t think so. I think it’s about having a balanced and proportionate approach; but really importantly, in relation to how the Common Agricultural Policy is framed, that it is as straightforward and as simple as possible for farmers.
“Obviously, you know, in terms of ecological concerns in relation to taking steps that make sure that we’re addressing the climate changes there, that’s something that across society, everyone understands and everyone has to do their part.
“And farmers are very much up for doing their part in relation to doing that and certainly are doing that too,” the minister added.
He stressed that the way European policies are framed is important and that they should be straightforward and as simple as possible for farmers to implement.
The minister added: “I think a challenge we’ve seen in the last couple of CAPs and multi-annual financial framework is that the Common Agricultural Policy as a proportion of the overall EU budget has not increased… has not kept apace.
“And farmers have been expected to do more and take on more regulation for the same level of funding or indeed diminishing funding and that’s something we have to address and reverse as we go forward.
“Obviously the marketplace is the most important place where farmers want to be able to make their income; they want to be able to produce food, and they want to be able to get properly paid for it.”
Minister McConalogue stated that at European Union level, work needs to be carried out to ensure the CAP budget is increased.
Protests by farmers
In relation to the wave of protests taking place by farmers across Europe, the agriculture minister admitted that it is important that the European Commission and policy makers take on board the feedback that farmers have given.
“This [feedback] is in relation to the need to ensure that EU regulations are made more simple; to make sure, as well, that the work that they carry out on a day-to-day basis is respected,” the minister said.
“I think that has not had the prominence and pre-eminence in the conversations we have about agriculture and food that it deserves.
“Because farmers are doing massive work. We have to respect the massively important work that they’re doing. We have to respect that what first and foremost we ask farmers to do is to produce food and produce it healthily; to produce nutritious food and to ensure that that’s done sustainably.
“And we need to recognise and respect and communicate that that work is respected that farmers are doing in terms of how we frame policy,” he added.
He said that in the short-term, today’s meeting of the AgriFish Council is about as looking at steps the commission can take to ensure that the policies which are in place are simplified for farmers.