The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Ministers hail climbdown by Ciolos on greening plan
Cap reform: Move in right direction but he needs to go further, says Paice
The first steps in changing controversial proposals to green the Common Agricultural Policy were taken yesterday by European Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos.
He used the European Agriculture Council meeting in Brussels to backtrack on plans which have provoked fury across the EU.
Council president Mette Gjerskov, the Danish farming and fisheries minister, described his move as a step in the right direction. Member states generally agreed, but several ministers, including the UK'S Jim Paice, said Mr Ciolos needed to go further – a view echoed by Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead.
Mr Paice, speaking to the Press and Journal from Brussels, said Mr Ciolos wasstill sticking to his rigid one-size fits all greening criteria, although he was starting to show some flexibility.
Mr Ciolos conceded rapid progress on greening was now needed. He hoped discussions over the next month could lead to the principles being agreed at the June council meeting.
“Farmers are waiting for us to clarify the situation," added Mr Ciolos, who stressed the need for green- ing to be carried out under the Cap's Pillar One budget inauniformwayacrosseurope.
Mr Ciolos accepted his three ideas to force farmers to grow at least three crops, maintain permanent pasture and put 7% of their land into ecological focus areas (EFA) had generated strong representations.
He yesterday conceded eligible pasture could now include non- grassland species. That lets heather grazings qualify, resolving Scottish concerns about tens of thousands of acres of traditional hill and upland land potentially losing payments. But Mr Ciolos said member states would be able to apply a variable deduction on this type of pasture. They too could exclude any farm of less than 123 acres from the threecrop rule if the bulk of its land is in grass.
He changed tack on the classification of permanent grassland, proposing that now applies after eight years for grass instead of
“Farmers are waiting for us to clarify the situation”
five. But Mr Paice said it was still not long enough. The UK, and Scotland, want at least 10.
Mr Ciolos touted thecon- cept of green by definition where farmers in agri-environment schemes could be deemed to meet one or two of the criteria. He did not want to punish agri-environment champions, saying they should instead be rewarded.
Butmr Paice stressed the need for equivalence with UK standards to avoid farmers elsewhere in the EU getting cash for “pale green" schemes.
The three-crop demand has provoked the greatest concern. Mr Ciolos proposed lifting the threshold that it applies from three hectares to 10ha ( 24.71 acres). But there was no movement on the requirement for three crops, despite several ministers urging to drop it to two and for him to recognise a difference in the spring and winter varieties of the same crop.
The only concession from Mr Ciolos was that those growing more than three crops could now count them all towards the 5% minimum share of cropping.
Mr Lochhead said there was relief that Mr Ciolos was listening to concerns, but added there was still a long way to go in securing policies which suited Scotland and in delivering proposals that are sensible, workable and flexible enough to meet individual states’ needs, without putting obstacles in the way of farmers and adversely hitting food production.
Hungary, Latvia and Spain all urged the EFA is cut from 7%. Finland complained about the added administration costs. France said greening should be used as an incentive for farmers to sign up to instead of them being penalised for not taking part.