Lords to quiz NFU and European Commission on implementing EU agricultural reforms
The House of Lords EU Committee responsible for scrutinising agriculture policy will next week take evidence from the President of the National Farmers Union, and a representative of the EU Agriculture Commissioner
This Committee will hold two sessions on Wednesday 11 September as part of its scrutiny of how the EU and UK will implement the recently agreed reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Giving Evidence to the Committee will be:
12.00 pm
- Peter Kendall, President, National Farmers Union;
- Martin Haworth, Director of Policy, National Farmers Union; and
- David Baldock, Executive Director, Institute for European Environmental Policy.
3.00 pm
- Gwilym Jones, Member of the Office of the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Both sessions will be held in Committee Room 3A of the House of Lords.
- Areas the Committee will explore with the witnesses include:
- The strengths and weaknesses of the CAP reform deal and whether it has produced a more complex policy.
- Changes to the system of direct payments to farmers under the reforms.
- The new Rural Development Fund.
- How the implementation of the new CAP can effectively stimulate innovation in the farming sector.
- How the CAP can foster environmentally sustainable agriculture.
Following the sessions the Committee will consider the evidence they received and will write to the government with recommendations to ensure the reformed CAP delivers for UK farmers as well as meeting environmental objectives.
