Statement on a Vision for Agriculture and Food by Agriculture and Rural Development Committee Chair

The European Commission presented today its communication for attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations.

Reacting to the Commission’s roadmap on the future of EU farming and food, Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee Veronika Vrecionová (ECR, CZ) said:

“I am pleased that the Commission is talking about agriculture as a strategic sector. That is something that has not been made so explicit until now and is crucial in these turbulent times. Even given Europe's dependence on imports of certain important products such as fertiliser or animal feed, we need to diversify our supply chains, reduce our dependence and strengthen our own production.”

“I consider it significant that the Vision for Agriculture and Food focuses its attention on the competitiveness of our farmers and that they must be part of the discussion. That is why I consider it extremely important that the Commission is coming up with proposals to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy, which burdens our farmers with considerable bureaucracy. I also appreciate the fact that the Commission is proposing that, in future, financial support of farmers should be directed more directly towards those who look after the land and produce food.”

“The vision rightly links rural support to the economic sustainability of European agriculture and emphasises the maintenance of services, education and jobs in rural areas. I very much appreciate the Commission coming up with a digital EU strategy for agriculture. We need to make farming attractive to young people and promote the countryside. By encouraging the introduction of new technologies, we can achieve this, while improving the efficiency and sustainability of farming practices.”