FFA – CAP reform could deliver 20,000 plus jobs
FARMERS for Action (FFA) is claiming that its CAP reform proposals could deliver 24,400 additional jobs at farm level here in Northern Ireland.
According to William Taylor, the organisation’s local representative, Europe’s leaders must accept the principle that the removal of all subsidies to lowland and arable producers will deliver for the EU as a whole in return for farmers receiving a minimum of the cost of production plus a margin that is inflation linked for their produce.
“Our other key proviso is that the price guarantee should be delivered to family farms only, not business corporations,” William Taylor told Farming Life.
“Our proposal is fully aligned with the policies of Fairness for Farmers in Europe, or FFE. While this revolutionary CAP reform proposal will help generate 20,000 plus new jobs in Northern Ireland, the equivalent figure for the EU is in the region of E5.5 million.
“The time has come for the EU to choose between votes and prosperity across Europe, or for the disgraceful status quo of the corporate food sector’s cosy relationship with many of Europe’s politicians to continue.”
William Taylor went on to point out that a further benefit of FFE’s CAP proposal is the envisaged saving of over E100 billion of EU taxpayers money during the 2014-2020.
“The FFE proposed trade-off requires legislation to be put in place by the EU stating that family farmers across the EU must be paid a minimum of the cost of production plus an inflation linked margin for their produce, thereby ensuring food security,” Mr Taylor continued.
“If this CAP proposal was implemented after 2013 family farmers across the EU would on average employ one person per farm. In real terms many part time farmers would give up their town jobs, leaving a job available in town, while other large farms would perhaps require two or more staff.”
Mr Taylor concluded: “The implementation of these CAP proposals will stop the corporate food sector continually and unsustainably putting their hand in farmers’ pockets. With this option closed to them they would be forced to lower their profits to compete with each other, thereby eliminating the need for consumers to pay any more for their staples other than normal inflationary increases.”
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Saturday 18 May 2013
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