Common Agricultural Policy 2013
We think that Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform is important because agriculture accounts for about half of the European land area and farming is a key activity for addressing some of this century’s greatest challenges. Stemming the collapse of biodiversity, mitigating and adapting to climate change, providing an affordable healthy diet and maintaining plentiful, clean water resources require profound changes to the ways in which land is managed. We believe that organic farming can play a key role in addressing these challenges.
The EU are looking to make CAP as climate friendly as possible, and officials in Brussels are interested in making CAP work from a climate change perspective to reduce Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) from agriculture. At the same time Brussels will have to cope with a whole range of national political agendas for agriculture. For example Defra have told us that they are committed to agriculture having multi-functional objectives which include biodiversity and water. So an effective policy for CAP reform will be one which stresses the effectiveness of support for farming which delivers a range of outcomes.
We are campaigning for Defra and Brussels to recognise the huge advantages in terms of cost effectiveness and reliably delivered, multiple outcomes, of supporting the system of organic farming.
What you can do
URGENT: Ask your MEP to vote to support organic farming
Members of the European Parliament are voting on Wednesday 13 March on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Reform.
We are asking MEPs to vote for a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that supports sustainable farming systems and shifts towards a green economy.
We now have details on exactly which detailed amendments it would be useful for MEPs to support or reject to enable this.
If you agree with us, please email your MEPs. We are part of a pan-European organic group (IFOAM EU) which has suggested some detailed text which you are welcome to use in your letter. You can find the details of your MEP here: