FarmPolicy

European Parliament Looks at the CAP; and EU Trade Strategy

Last month, FarmPolicy highlighted recent policy proposals pertaining to the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

And earlier this month, we noted that potential changes in farm policy in the U.S., given the probability of the Farm Bill intersecting with the supercommittee, was moving at a much more rapid pace than in the EU.

More recently, an update posted yesterday at EUractive Online reported that, “Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloş faced a barrage of criticism yesterday (7 November) over plans to overhaul the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) before a rare gathering of national farm ministers and members of the European Parliament.

 “The European Commission announced its blueprint for the EU’s 2014-2020 budget six months ago, which largely leaves current funding for the CAP untouched at €53 billion per year.

 “Putting a legislative blueprint on the table in September, The Commission then proposed changes that include setting aside more land for conservation, streamlining policies and taking steps to equalise payments to farmers in newer member states.”

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Posted by Keith Good • November, 9, 2011 • 10:59 am

Farm Bill; Biofuels; and Trade

Farm Bill Issues

Mikkel Pates reported earlier this week at the Grand Forks Herald Online (North Dakota) that, “How do you write a farm program that ensures an economic safety net when agriculture’s financial results seem to be good and getting better?

“How do you make future payments that can be passed with support from farmers in the South, who prefer direct payments, even during good times?

“Those were some of the issues facing the region’s agricultural organization and political leaders, gathered for the first day of a giant ag policy huddle at the Holiday Inn in Fargo, as part of the conference called ‘2012 Farm Bill: Issues and Challenges.’  The event was organized by U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Won Koo, director of the Center for agricultural Policy and Trade Studies at North Dakota State University.”

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Posted by Keith Good • November, 9, 2011 • 5:06 am