That was the reaction this week from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee in its latest report on the post 2013 CAP, which has slammed the European Commission’s proposed sweeping reforms of the CAP that would see the current complex and bureaucratic system of direct payments replaced by one that could be even worse. The EFRA’s MPs said the EU wants to slap farmers with more regulation rather than provide the incentives to secure a sustainable and profitable EU agricultural sector. Anne McIntosh MP, EFRA committee chair said: “Farmers are seeing their incomes fall while hard-pressed families have to swallow rising food prices. Neither the EU nor DEFRA have faced up to these twin challenges.” In its report the EFRA committee sets out the key principles the UK government should promote. Read More
