On Sunday 17th June, French NGOs from Groupe PAC 2013 issued an open letter to the new Agricultural Minister – Stephane Le Foll, just before his first meeting at the Agricultural and Fisheries Council. Below the demands they sent to their minister:
– Redirect aid to a genuine greening of agricultural systems, based on longer crop rotations, the protection of permanent pasture and at least 10% of agro-ecological infrastructure on farms. Especially as France is currently actively contributing to watering down the already inadequate proposals of the Commission. We must not allow the 370 billion that will be spent during the next period to continue degrading ecosystems which must then be restored.
– Secure the agri-environmental and climate measures. France must absolutely support an enhanced budget in an area that it has too long neglected. These measures are a lever to initiate the transition to sustainable farming.
– Compliance on the basis of agricultural jobs and environmental criteria, price levels and not just the number of hectares or levels of farm production. Currently, a large share of aid benefits people who do not need it.
– Eliminate export refunds. We must set up a new scheme that evaluates and corrects the CAP’s negative impacts on agriculture and food sovereignty in the South.
Read the full open letter here (in French)
