During a debate held on Monday with EU’s health chief Stella Kyriakides on the future of farming in the post-Coronavirus era, several MEPs asked for a realistic strategy that will provide farmers with incentives instead of additional requirements, to promote sustainable and viable agricultural production.
The members of the Parliament’s Agriculture committee warned that the reduction of the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers could severely affect food production across Europe, if no alternative is found.
They got, however, the Commissioner’s reassurance that an impact assessment will be conducted and that “concrete and ambitious targets” will be set.
The debate with the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety also focused on the on-going reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the bloc’s long-term budget. During their last emergency summit held, the heads of state and government were at loggerheads over the allocation of EU funds and cuts to agriculture.
The European Commission is set to present its Farm to Fork strategy on May 20, later than initially planned, due to the Coronavirus outbreak which has forced several consultations to delay.