Environmental legislation reform 'will help farming industry'

The environmental legislation reform to change the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) will help the farming industry, it has been said.

Environment secretary Caroline Spelman spoke at the Oxford farming conference 2011 last week, saying that the new year can mark a change in the market and the "start of serious negotiations".

Referring to the CAP, she emphasised the need to address the problem of protectionism in member states.

Ms Spelman noted that this undercuts producers in developing countries and will "hold back European farmers in the long run".

The CAP currently works by giving EU farmers direct payments to maintain stability in the market, while allowing them the freedom to produce what the market demands.

Ms Spelman went on to say that without any change, the transition towards sustainable EU agriculture in the future would be under threat.

Her alterations to the environmental legislation include plans to be more ambitious by making "significant progress towards reducing our reliance on direct payment", as well as encouraging innovation in the industry.

Posted by Joseph Hutton