The EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Janusz Wojciechowski said the EU Farm to Fork policy will have to be revisited in light of food security concerns.
The EU Commissioner was addressing the IFA National Council in the Irish Farm Centre this week.
IFA President Tim Cullinan said Commissioner Wojciechowski committed to looking at how EU policy including the Farm to Fork can be adjusted to respond to the current food security crisis.
He acknowledged that the huge increase in input costs was putting huge pressure on farmers and food production. As Agriculture Commissioner, he committed to seek more support for the sector at Commission level.
The discussion also included future CAP funding at European level. The Commissioner clearly outlined the need for increased funding at European level for future CAP programmes, pointing out that current CAP funding amounted to just 0.3% of EU GDP.
The EU Commissioner also referred to the important balance between social economic sustainability, along with environmental sustainability.
Cullinan said the meeting had been an opportunity to engage with the Commissioner on a range of issues impacting Irish farming.
“Food security is a crucial issue, particularly with the upheaval caused by the war in Ukraine and the massive spike in input costs. We used this event to emphasise to Commissioner Wojciechowski that farmers have to be supported if they are to maintain production,” he said.