Kendall urges Defra to ‘get off the sidelines’ on CAP reform

Speaking at a packed NFU/Natural England fringe event at the Labour Party Conference, Mr Kendall expressed concern that the UK could end up being seriously disadvantaged under a post-2013 CAP currently being discussed across Europe.

He praised Hilary Benn, sitting alongside him, for his recognition if the importance of food production and for the strong language now coming out of Defra in support of farmers.

He expressed concern that while, some member states, notably France and Germany, are already negotiating changes that could benefit their farmers, there had been little input from so far from Mr Benn and the Government.

He fears this could result in an unequal policy across Europe, pointing to evidence already of a ‘backtracking’ on decoupling in some member states.

“We want to make a CAP fit for purpose but at the moment it feels we are outside the debating chamber,” Mr Kendall said.

“The UK has led the debate on climate change and it is now time to take the lead on food security and say we want a CAP that does not abolish Pillar One (Single Payments).

“I want us to be on the front foot in shaping the CAP of the future to ensure there is a single market across Europe and that we drive decoupling across the whole of Europe.”

Mr Kendall refuted claim made by the RSPB that the NFU was ‘holding out its begging bowl’, insisting farmers understood they needed to deliver ‘value for money’.

Mr Benn denied that the Government was ‘sitting on the sidelines’ on this issue, arguing that it was forthright in rejecting the wishes of some member states to backtrack on the phasing out of milk quotas.

“Believe you me, we are very much part of the debate in Europe,” he said.

But he fell short of giving any commitment to negotiate for the continuation of Single Payments or to ensure the policy was applied equally across Europe.

He argued that the CAP continued to disadvantage farmers in developing countries by ‘undercutting their markets’.

“In the end we do need a strong agricultural policy that is sensible. I am a strong advocate in supporting farmers to deliver the benefits which the markets cannot afford. That is the argument for Pillar 2,” he said.

But he reiterated his desire to see British farmers ‘produce as much food as possible today while looking after the environment, soil and the water to determine out ability to produce more food tomorrow’.

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