EMB Newsletter March 2017
Newsletter as PDF
Contact
EMB - European Milk Board asbl
Rue de la Loi 155
B-1040 Bruxelles
Phone: +32 - 2808 - 1935
Fax: +32 - 2808 - 8265
Dear dairy farmers and interested parties,
It is no secret that the EU Common Agricultural Policy is in need of reform. The last few years have shown that we urgently need sustainable, responsible agricultural production. And yes, it is true: the first small steps in this direction have been taken in the dairy sector. From October to December 2016, incentives were given to reduce milk production in the crisis-riddled market. As a result, in the Netherlands and Ireland alone, 74 million and 55 million fewer kilos of milk respectively were produced. Something that had failed to be brought about before – by boosting exports and by intervention – was now functioning: the price collapse was halted throughout the EU. Whereas the average milk price in the EU was still about 26 cents a kilo in August 2016, by December it had already risen to 33 cents.
Was it a sign that supply management measures are effective? Yes, definitely! Is this one measure all that is needed? No, of course not. The world and the milking carousel keep turning. A one-off measure will not have an effect for ever. It can, however, be a model for drawing up a regular crisis instrument available to the milk market whenever required.
The first steps must therefore be followed up with urgency. The Agricultural Policy has been a mainstay of the EU for many years. It has strongly influenced developments and can still do so. But it must be fit for purpose and not operate as a self-service store for multinational agribusiness.
The upcoming GAP review must therefore drive the following developments forward to a significant extent in order to earn the designation “reform”:
- It must address a fair income for farmers and thus reduce social inequalities and enable regional and EU-wide production: promote balanced development throughout the EU instead of supporting harmful concentrations of production!
- Stakeholders must really (be able to) assume responsibility with the new GAP. Producers can act responsibly for their activity – producing raw milk – by collectively cutting production in times of surpluses and preventing crises. This calls for the regular crisis instrument with an appropriate legal framework.
- There must be responsible production in the EU and it should not harm developing nations through dumping prices.
Champion these – your – GAP goals together with us! Join in the debate. You can currently do so, for instance, in a public EU consultation. You can also read more about it in this newsletter.
I hope you find the newsletter interesting reading.
Silvia Däberitz, EMB Managing Director
Common Agricultural Policy post 2020 - public consultation
Count us in! EMB contribution to CAP consultation
Germany: Keep at it is the mantra
Junk cheese exports as a surplus outlet
OPL colloquium: giving the floor to producers
Exhibition "Milk does not like to travel – but milk farmers do"
New German study backs further agricultural reform
Impressum
European Milk Board asbl
Rue de la Loi 155
B-1040 Bruxelles
Phone: +32 2808 1935
Fax: +32 2808 8265
E-Mail: office@europeanmilkboard.org
Website: http://www.europeanmilkboard.org