24/06/2013

It costs about fifty billion pounds a year and shapes our landscape and farming industry. This week should see a final agreement on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The meeting of the European Agriculture Ministers which starts later today will be followed by another meeting between The European Parliament, Commission and Council of Ministers to hammer out a deal.
There are disagreements over, among other things, the amount of environmental work farmers should have to do to qualify for subsidy payments. Also on Farming Today, the supermarket adjudicator starts this week. Christine Tacon, the former head of the co-op farms, will be able to fine, or name and shame retailers which treat suppliers unfairly. Farmers and food campaigners pushed for an adjudicator to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, which regulates the relationship between the largest supermarkets and their suppliers.