A food and drink group has labelled draft reforms of environmental legislation relating to European farmers as "disappointing".
FoodDrinkEurope has suggested that the EU's proposed measures to update the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) may not focus heavily enough on boosting food production.
Earlier this week, the European Commission unveiled a ten-point plan to update the CAP, with emphasis placed on encouraging sustainability in the farming sector, as well as attempting to lower the average age of the continent's agricultural workers.
However, while welcoming some of the planned reforms, leaders at FoodDrinkEurope have said the rule changes need to help increase food production, as well as protect soil quality.
President of the organisation Jesus Serafín Perez believes the legislation needs to reflect the "interdependence between European farmers and the food industry".
He said the food and drink sector processes 70 per cent of the yield produced by farmers across Europe, therefore it has "an inherent interest in promoting a competitive, productive and sustainable EU agricultural sector".
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