At the event, the Polish President of KRIR strongly opposed the planned cuts in farm spending for 2021-2027, saying that it will prevent the EU from meeting its targets for the environment or to ensure food security for a growing population.
Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said “Copa and Cogeca oppose any proposals to cut CAP spending in the future EU budget. Farmers’ incomes are already 40% of average EU earnings and have dropped by 20% in the past four years. A budget cut would not only put at risk farmers livelihoods and vast parts of Europe’s rural areas, but also the delivery of the EU’s environmental and social goals”.
Farm organisations and cooperatives across the EU have united in issuing statements, such as Spain and also France, who urged President Macron to assume his responsibilities in ensuring a sufficient budget for vibrant rural areas.
In response to the Danish and Swedish governments push for EU budgetary restraint post 2020, Danish Agriculture and Food Council President Martin Merrild and Swedish Farm Union President Palle Borgstrom said “Our farmers risk large economic losses through cuts to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), if Member States do not agree on the need for “new funds for new initiatives” and compensate the Brexit-deficit in the EU budget. We need a strong agricultural budget to make sure that European farmers can deliver food for the consumers at competitive prices, whilst at the same time meeting European society’s ambitious demands on the way the food is produced in terms of the environment, climate change and animal welfare”.
