A leading agricultural professor has told UK producers there is a strong future for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) if it is drastically reformed.
Dr Cees Verman, a professor at Wageningen and Tilburg universities in the Netherlands, told delegates at the Oxford Farming Conference that Europe is in a position to strengthen its role in the global market.
Verman outlined his suggestion for a Common Rural Area Policy, which would be better equipped to deal with energy efficiency while making agriculture more market driven.
He also urged EU member state governments to create economic conditions favourable for agricultural entrepreneurs and help to enforce quality educational research to aid environmental goals.
Earlier in the day, DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn praised the deal brokered, following the Copenhagen climate change summit, whereby farmers are being offered £3,000-£20,000 in interest-free loans to improve their energy use.
And Verman said regions and communities that rely on agriculture despite poor land conditions should be given support for environmental and social resaons.
He said: “Local and regional co-financing by those people directly involved is the best model, rather than central decisions. Income support should be offered to entrepreneurs involved.
“CAP decisions are often based around the budget or World Trade Organisation rules, but I call for one simply based on the functions of rural land.
“There is a changing role for government, not only supporting production but funding development and much better co-operation between member countries.
“The pathway to a new CAP is gradually changing and reducing the budget will be likely within this, but we need to look at how we can get the most from our rural land and communities.”
