Big German farmers could lose out in EU subsidy shakeup

[Henk Elegeert]

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Big German farmers could lose out in EU subsidy shakeup
<http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6246632,00.htm>
Agriculture | 18.11.2010

*The EU has put forward a new plan for its agricultural policy which will
reward environmentally conscious farmers and redistribute subsidies to
benefit new member states. German farmers and the government are not happy.*
**

The European Commission on Thursday released a rough draft for the EU's
agricultural policy as of 2013. According to a Commission press release, the
proposed reforms aim to make the bloc's policy "greener, fairer, more
efficient and more effective." German farmers however, see the changes in a
less favorable light.



Gerd Sonnleitner, head of the German Farmers' Association, said the new
proposals were "more of a step backwards than a step forwards." Agriculture
Minister Ilse Aigner said subsidy ceilings for large agricultural plants
were something she "couldn't support."



"We're ready, to a limited degree, to accept an adjustment," she said. "But
we will stand up against any attempt at leveling down."



Some 56 billion euros ($76 billion) a year, or 40 percent of the EU budget,
is spent on agricultural subsidies. About 6.9 billion of that goes to
Germany. Now the Commission wants the cash to be divided in what it
describes as a more fair and transparent way.



The EU's agricultural policy is "not just for farmers, it is for all EU
citizens - as consumers and taxpayers," said EU Agriculture and Rural
Development Commissioner Dacian Ciolos in a statement. "European agriculture
needs to be not only economically competitive, but also environmentally
competitive."



*Taking the cost of going organic into account*

Currently subsidies are distributed primarily based on the size of a farm.
The new proposals would take into consideration the number of employees
needed to farm each hectare so that farmers who use more employees to farm
in more environmentally friendly ways are not penalized for their efforts.

* *

Aigner said she was skeptical of the move to link environmentally friendly
farming with more subsidies, saying the emphasis on organic or ecological
requirements would require more inspections and monitoring. "The environment
isn't helped when it's just the bureaucracy that flourishes," she said.



Author: Holly Fox (AFP, dpa)

Editor: Rob Turner

"



Dan staat dit dus ook voor Nederland te gebeuren ...



Henk Elegeert

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