Mr Sercombe stressed “Sheep prices across the EU are lower than last year and consumption is stagnating even declining. Production costs are also increasing. Yet sheepmeat production is important for the economies of the EU’s rural areas where often no alternative source of employment exists. It also helps to maintain biodiversity and is highly nutritious. A long term strategy is therefore needed, setting out concrete actions to help deal with the short, medium and long term challenges and ensure that we have a viable sector in the future”.
In particular, it is important to address market transparency to the benefit of all actors in the sheep supply chain and have better harmonisation of price reporting to enable countries to exchange information; the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the challenges ahead for the EU sheep sector like generation renewal and ensure a decent income for sheep breeders; emerging disease threats at EU borders which impact on the sector, and the creation of a strategic vision in the medium term for the sheep sector.
Mr Charles Sercombe (NFU, UK) was elected for a two year mandate. He has been a sheep farmer since 1999 and currently has a sheep flock of 2 400 animals. He has been Chairman of the Livestock Board for the NFU since 2012. He will be supported by two Vice-Chairs Ms Michèle Boudoin (FNSEA, FR) and Sandor Kukovics (HCA, HU). Michele is a sheep farmer in Allagnat, in the CEYSSAR region, in the Puy de Dome department. She is a member of the COPAGNO producer organisation (Cooperative of Sheep Producers in Auvergne) in order to sell her sheep and is President of the Federation National Ovine in France since April 2015. Sandor has been a member of the Copa and Cogeca Sheep Working Party since 2003, with active involvement in different fora in Hungary and at EU level. He is a member of the Presidency of the Hungarian Sheep Products' Council and country representative in the International Sheep Association.
