CEJA President Joris Baecke gave a speech to EU Agriculture Ministers and the EU Agriculture Commissioner at yesterdays Informal Farm Council in La Hulpe, Belgium.

Installation Policy

For the young farmer’s leader: “A strong installation policy is needed to ensure a level playing field across the EU for all young farmers”. Therefore such a policy should be “implemented in all member states” according to Baecke.

Furthermore he insisted in “a policy that includes a financial aspect, such as a guarantee for credits, reduced interest rates or guaranteed interests rate. Access to land and access to credit are two elements that are vital to turn a new leaf in the sector. Without public support, young farmers run into substantial financial difficulties to acquire land or obtain credits from the bank.” In terms of facilitating knowledge exchange “a better transfer of technology from the research centre to the farm” is needed.

CAP Reform

Following CEJA’s recent Young Farmers Declaration on CAP established on 20 September at Louvain-la-Neuve, Baecke outlined some of young farmers ideas on a reformed CAP.

For CEJA a successful CAP will “provide predictability for agri-entrepreneurs and have a stable and predictable budget. The new CAP should ensure a fairer payment for farmers. CEJA has expressed many times against the historical model of direct payments-any new model has to recognise the high level and long term investment made by young farmers”, Baecke maintained.

Regarding market measures, Baecke told the audience that “a successful CAP shall incorporate a range of market tools that protects from extreme market volatility.” Initiatives that “support agri-entrepreneurs to be price makers as supposed to price takers should be promoted.”

Furthermore CEJA requested the EU institutions “to allow farmers to organise themselves in producers’ organisations to make agreement within the food chain on price. CEJA supports the idea that some part of direct payments could be linked to the provision of public goods. A clear and transparent definition of what can be considered as public goods is needed. In addition to food production, we consider agri-environmental services as public goods that should be rewarded. CEJA requests a strong independence from energy and protein imports by developing bio-energy production and through an EU protein plan”.

Collobration Between Young Farmers and the EU Commission

Dacian Ciolos, EU Agriculture Commissioner said at the CEJA seminar on 20th September that from November until the end of 2012 he would like to establish a clear link with CEJA to reflect on measures to help young farmer’s needs. Addressing journalists after yesterdays farm council he expressed interest to collaborate “in a concrete manner to reflect on specific measures such as on-farm installation”.

CEJA's declaration on future CAP can be downloaded here.