We need dialogue about CAP's future

Britain's exclusion from talks on the future of farm subsidies, held in Paris recently, attracted negative national Press coverage but should we really be so surprised, given the scepticism of previous UK Governments about the value of the CAP?

Too often we have heard politicians of all parties describe the CAP as "costly" and "wasteful", yet it is responsible for the food security and sustainability of 500 million European Union consumers.

Yes it does represent over 40 per cent of the EU annual budget, but it accounts for less than 0.5 percent of total public expenditure by European governments.

Some politicians, elsewhere in Europe, see the CAP as a vital investment.

If our next Government, whatever its colour, wants to show genuine leadership to the EU, it has to move away from an ideological stance against the CAP and engage in a more constructive dialogue about the future of the policy.

To achieve the famous "level playing field", we need to ensure that payments are decoupled from production across Europe. But there must also be recognition that some regions cannot survive on the market alone.

In a more market-orientated policy, there should be higher permanent payments to farmers in less-favoured areas which generate significant social and environmental benefits.

In the General Election, we will be lobbying for a vigorous reappraisal of Defra's priorities, placing food and farming back at the heart of its operations. In times of financial stringency on public spending, we want a full review of Defra's executive agencies and an examination of their roles, functions and areas of duplicated work.

We are now heavily embroiled in the environmental debate whether we like it or not.

Farmers can play a pivotal role in combating climate change but let us put some things into perspective. UK agricultural production is directly responsible for only about seven per cent of total UK greenhouse gas emissions, of which methane produced by ruminants accounts for less than three per cent.

The livestock sector has experienced mixed fortunes in 2009. Prices for beef cattle and sheep have been better than for some time and threatened outbreaks of Bluetongue and avian influenza have not materialised. However, bovine TB marches inexorably northwards and we desperately need an eradication plan that effectively tackles all sources of the disease. Milk producers have not had a good year and confidence is low ebb.

Compulsory electronic identification for sheep will impose substantial costs on the industry. We are pressing the Government to carry out a cost-benefit analysis which we believe will illustrate that this regulation is not fit for purpose.

I believe that farming will assume increasing importance as food security becomes a critical issue. The days of agricultural production being viewed as a rather inconvenient by-product of land and countryside management are behind us. It's nice to be wanted.