EU meat boss warns CAP reform could hurt industry

By Keith Nuthall

- Last updated on GMT

CAP reform could have improved food security, says EU livestock head
CAP reform could have improved food security, says EU livestock head

Related tags European union Livestock

Europe’s meat and livestock industry association has attacked the recently agreed European Union (EU) Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms as a “missed opportunity” to boost food supply security in the EU.

However, in exclusive comments to Globalmeatnews.com​, Jean-Luc Mériaux, secretary general for the European Livestock and Meat Trading Union (UECBV) welcomed the policy flexibility allowed within the reforms to ease resulting problems.

Regarding good security, Mériaux said: “The EU beef and sheep meat industry is facing a severe decline in production,”​ adding that it was ill-prepared for EU funding cuts flowing from the CAP reforms. “[It] and some mechanisms of the reform, such as the flat rate payment, will throw away money from the livestock sector and from the most productive producers,”​ he predicted.

But the UECBV secretary general said the cut had been “lower than feared”​, and he added: “On the other hand the CAP reform will offer flexibility that may mitigate the losses for the EU livestock industry.”

Mériaux gave as an example the fact that allowable coupled payments for cattle and sheep farming “will help the producers partly compensate the increase in the cost of production”,​ recognising the important role these industries play in certain regions’ economies and societies.

Also, the planned early payment (‘front loading’) of some subsidies during the next 2014-20 CAP budget programme “will also help stop the decline in livestock in some member states”​, he added.

And the compulsory scheme within the new CAP for financing younger farmers “will contribute to overcoming the ageing of the EU livestock producers”,​ which is important “considering that in some member states more than 50% of the producers are older than 50 years”,​ he pointed out.

Mériaux said it was worthwhile to note that farms whose land is more than 75% grassland will qualify automatically for a special environmental conservation payment, helping many livestock producers.

Rural development funds within the CAP may also help sheep production in poorer areas. And earmarked research and development funds should help the EU livestock industry improve its competitiveness, he said.

“Less money will be available for the CAP and the livestock sector. However, there is a potential to mitigate the negative impact if… member states recognise the EU livestock sector as a vulnerable sector that deserves specific support,”​ Mériaux concluded.

“Therefore, the use of [policy] flexibility is critical. It will not stimulate the production but will stop the decline and hold the number at the current level,”​ he said, adding that it was “vital”​ that meat’s retail value is raised to better reflect production costs.

Related topics Meat

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