Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-01-19-Speech-4-024-000"
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"en.20120119.3.4-024-000"2
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"Madam President, firstly, may I thank the rapporteur for his work on this issue and the focus that he brings to a wide variety of problems that farmers are facing today. Whilst the rapporteur highlights generally the problems in terms of cost of production versus farm gate prices, in Northern Ireland – despite these difficulties – agriculture continues to contribute to the economy. We have heard colleagues say today that this really is quite a miracle, given the problems that farmers face.
However, the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland has grown significantly, accounts for 20% of sales from the manufacturing industry and now, in a very small region, provides 50 000 direct jobs. We should recognise the absolute importance of this industry to our economy. It is an industry which has proved resilient in difficult economic conditions and should provide further private-sector growth if given the proper support and freedom from oppressive legislation. There is no doubt that many of the issues raised by the report are valuable, but I believe that the greatest contribution that we can make to a sustainable and competitive sector is in producing a common agricultural policy that sees food production and European food security as its aim and objective.
Over recent weeks, I have been talking to farmers in my own constituency and they see the proposals from the Commission as complex, overbearing in terms of environmental objectives and favouring landowners over active food-producing farmers. In our discussions on CAP reform, if we miss the opportunity to provide an environment for increased productivity and one which provides food and supply security, we will only continue to increase price volatility for farmers and consumers.
Also, Commissioner, I was interested in your brief run-down on some of the common agricultural policy proposals. You mentioned specifically crop rotation, as has been envisaged in the Pillar One proposal. In Northern Ireland, this is seen as much too prescriptive and almost certainly will put small mixed farms out of work. It is simply not workable.
In my own country, can I urge the UK Government to get on with its plans for the supermarket ombudsman and to give that ombudsman a range of powers which will actually tackle the issue."@en1
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