NFU call for CAP reform

The NFU has called for European agriculture ministers to make meaningful reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with talks well underway.

The NFU is firmly backing the direction of the reforms, believing they have the potential to make the CAP less bureaucratic, enable production to become more market-orientated and that they should benefit the environment.

This week the NFU have held talks with Defra Secretary of State Margaret Beckett to assert their views on aspects of the reforms.

This followed talks with farm minister Lord Whitty who believes the current CAP is of benefit to no one. He said: 'These talks provide an opportunity to deliver real change that will be positive for farmers, consumers and society as a whole.' NFU president Ben Gill will talk to other farm leaders in Luxembourg stressing the potential dangers of 'partial decoupling' – only partly breaking the link between production and support payments.