Farmers fear controversial EU plans herald return to dark ages

Farmers in Shropshire say the county's agricultural industry will be pushed back into the dark ages if controversial EU plans are approved.

Brussels bureaucrats are presently renegotiating the Common Agricultural Policy which determines the way the industry is run. However, the plans presently on the table could have an adverse effect on local farmers, according to regional leaders from the National Farmers Union.

John Mercer, NFU regional director, said: "The proposals, as they stand, will take the industry backwards at a time when we need to be going forwards."

The CAP ensures that money is given to the industry to protect farmers from volatile markets. That in turn helps to protect shoppers from volatile food prices and also helps to protect rural heritage, the countryside and its environment.

The NFU in the West Midlands believes the proposals to reform CAP, particularly the 'greening' measures, will prevent innovation and development on Shropshire farms.

Industry leaders say some of the changes put forward threaten to overwhelm farm businesses and make the industry less competitive. Farmers have concerns about the concept of 'greening', where in the future 30 per cent of direct support could be conditional on them following mandatory environmental measures.

Mr Mercer said officials trying to make sure the voices of local farmers were heard.

He said: "Fortunately there is now time for farmers and the NFU to lobby MPs and MEPs and demonstrate the damaging impact these proposals could have. Our members are in the business of producing food and need to feed a growing population in a more sustainable way so any proposal to take land out of production is a real backward step.

"These proposals are also potentially damaging to the farmed environment which farmers are working so hard to improve.

"We need to work together and lobby to help simplify these proposals so there is a streamlined, workable system from 2014."