A parliamentary report in the UK has criticised proposed new European regulations to make agriculture 'greener', arguing that they will reduce food production and could actually harm the environment, according to a report in the Guardian newspaper.
The plans are due to be implemented in 2014, but the House of Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee has warned a 'one-size-fits-all' policy will not work and that local differences in climate, landscape and farming practices should be considered.
Anne McIntosh, the committee chair, commented: 'To enhance biodiversity and protect the environment farmers across the EU must be able manage their landscapes in ways tailored to local farming methods and ecological concerns. The commission's approach will damage the natural environment and farming.'
According to the new proposals, farmers that fail to comply with three new greening requirements – to meet new EU-wide standards for crop diversity and retention of permanent pastureland, as well as setting aside 7 per cent of their land as uncultivated ecological focus areas – could lose 30 per cent of their direct payments under the Common Agricultural Policy.
The report warned that the diversity rule would benefit the environment less than crop rotation, which is already practised by the majority of farmers in the UK.
A majority of EU member states, including the UK, have reportedly expressed concern about the proposals.
