EU threatens food security through failure to act

Failure by the European Union to act now to address the serious downturn across farm commodities threatens Europe’s food security and the economy of rural areas.

Announcing a package of measures which could help the commodity crisis in Europe, the joint organisation of EU farmers and agriculture co-operatives Copa-Cogeca urged the EU to act.

At a press conference last week, Copa-Cogeca secretary general Pekka Pesonen said the situation was worsening and cashflow problems across agricultural firms and co-operatives were forcing many out of business.

"Businesses have been hit hard after we lost our main export market, Russia, overnight, as a result of international politics," she said.

Russia is understood to be worth £3.97 billion (€5.1bn) per year to EU agriculture.

Last week a separate group, the EU sheep reflection group, discussed potential future moves for the EU sheep industry.

NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe, part of the group, told Farmers Guardian one of the main discussion points was the potential to limit the negative effects of New Zealand imports through a seasonality agreement on New Zealand product.