With UK ministers set to make decisions on how the CAP will be implemented in the coming months, NFU President Peter Kendall stressed there were five key points farmers should raise with their MPs to ensure English farmers were not disadvantaged against their colleagues in Europe – or in neighbouring parts of the UK.
The five key areas are:
- Fairness in Europe
- No modulation
- Fairness in the UK
- No distorting subsidies
- No extra burdens on English farmers
“Ministers will take decisions over the coming months on how to implement the next CAP and we have five clear messages for our MPs. We have never shied away from budget cuts at the European level, but cuts should be applied equally and fairly,” said Mr Kendall. “Fairness in Europe and across the UK is essential.
“UK Ministers will take decisions on how to share out the UK pot among the devolved regions of the UK later this year. When I hear that the average Scottish lowland livestock farmer currently receives a farm payment of £20,000 more than his English counterpart, it’s little wonder that English farmers object to CAP reform becoming a means of buying political gain north of the border as part of the Independence campaign.
“We say no to modulation. With rates potentially set to rise from nine per cent to 15 per cent, farmers in England would see the gap in payment levels widening even further.
“We need to say no to distorting subsidies that could force farmers to produce even when they aren’t competitive - and when the market is telling them not to.
“And we need to say no to gold plating the mandatory greening requirements placed on our farmers. English farmers take their responsibility to the environment very seriously but it is unfair to force English farmers to carry out more costly or burdensome environmental conditions than our competitors.
“I ask all farmers meeting with MPs at shows across the country this spring and summer to remind them we need a fair deal, nothing more, but nothing less.”
Notes to editors:
- The Fair Deal for English Farmers coalition continues to grow with new members joining. For more information on the coalition and information you may wish to give to your MP, please visit http://www.nfuonline.com/business/cap/cap-coalition-our-industry-/
- Mr Kendall will be at the Devon County Show on Friday May 17.