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CAP must focus on economic performance

He continued "In Europe, the EU agriculture and agri-food sector ensures employment in EU rural areas for around 40 million people.  Yet farmers have to comply with high production standards, such as animal welfare requirements, which are not paid for by the market and which must therefore be taken account of by public policies. The future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) must focus on improving the economic performance of farming families and agri-cooperatives to enable them to meet food security. We are calling for measures which will promote green growth. We need solutions which enable farmers to contribute to a better environment but which also have a positive impact on their productivity and profitability. Measures must be economically viable and voluntary for farmers to apply. But we are concerned that the Commissions' proposals for a further greening of the CAP will just increase bureaucracy and red tape and threaten farmers' competitivity".

With farmers up against the huge buying power of a handful of supermarkets, Farm Leaders from both the EU and North America agreed on the need to strengthen farmers and agri-cooperatives position in the food chain to ensure that they get a better return from the market. Cogeca President Paolo Bruni insisted "In the wake of rapidly growing food demand, it is crucial to strengthen producer organisations (POs), such as cooperatives, position in the food chain to meet this demand. In Europe, competition rules also need to be adjusted to help producer organisations, such as cooperatives, to grow in size and scale".

Wrapping up, Mr Bruni said "It is crucial to ensure that we have a dynamic, productive, competitive and profitable EU agriculture and agri-food sector in the future, with a strong CAP budget behind it, which can be passed on to generations and which will ensure food security for a growing world population. I call on politicians to help facilitate this in the future".