Farming

Hogan outlines crisis measures

Published

9 years ago

May 4, 2016

Tom Sinclair

Criticised over trade talks: EU Commissioner Phil Hogan

SPEAKING in the European Parliament on Tuesday, Commissioner Phil Hogan unveiled details of the latest EU support package agreed last month.

The Commissioner acknowledged that the crisis facing dairy producers and pig farmers has been ‘Both deeper and longer lasting than any of us had anticipated.’

He said he was pleased to confirm that, on Monday, the Commission adopted three draft Regulations. The first, doubling the intervention ceilings for skimmed milk powder and butter (though this needs official approval from the European Council).

The Commission has also activated regulations that allow producer organisations to plan milk production for a period of six months, and extended the regulations’ scope to include co-ops and other organisations.

Hogan also said: “The Commission has and is continuing to make every effort to lift the protectionist ban imposed by Russia on pig products from the EU.”

Russia introduced a ban on imports of food and farming products from European and North American states in 2014, in response to sanctions imposed as tensions grew over war in the Ukraine.

He added, “Even though so far the Russian reaction has not been very positive, the dialogue remains open.”

Hogan said the Commission is also looking for new opportunities outside Europe; having returned from a trip to Colombia and Mexico (which he described as “encouraging”), the Commissioner will leave for Kazakhstan, China and Japan later this week.

However, though the Commissioner’s “diplomatic offensive” might be yielding promising results, talks with the Mercosur trade bloc have drawn criticism from farm groups and EU Farm Ministers.

At the EU Council meeting on Monday, a large number of EU farm ministers warned that a trade deal could see South American agricultural produce – beef, in particular – flooding the market and undercutting European farmers.

Speaking at the EU’s agriculture council meeting on Monday, Hogan said he remains committed to the trade talks, but promised that negotiators are “very sensitive” to the needs of EU farmers.

EU farm groups have claimed the sector risks losing in excess of 7 billion euros as a result of the Mercosur deal.

Farmers claim the South American trade group is already a major exporter of agri commodities to the EU (accounting for 86% of beef and 70% of poultry meat imports), and have questioned the environmental, traceability and quality standards of meat imports.

On Monday, Thomas Magnusson, president of EU farm group Cogeca, said, “The Commission also promised Ministers it would come up with an impact assessment before proceeding with an offer which it has failed to do.”

Discussing the EU’s support packages, the agriculture Commissioner continued, “Over the past two years, the Commission has mobilised more than €1 billion in additional funding to support farmers, which complements the €56 billion which farmers received last year.

As part of that and in response to a deteriorating situation last summer, you will recall that the Commission took swift and decisive action to provide a €500m support package last September, including €420m in direct targeted aid.”

At a meeting with the Dutch EU presidency on Monday, European farming leader Thomas Magnusson urged Ministers to adopt measures that they agreed on last month as soon as possible including loan/ debt relief for investments.

He warned of the difficult situation on the dairy market, with prices continuing to drop for 25 months and farmers being squeezed by high input costs, and said that the lack of money paid out by member states has seriously reduced the impact of the headline measures.

On Tuesday, Hogan said updated figures should be published later in the day, and added: “Before passing judgement on the effectiveness of either the September package or the proposals I made last month, I would urge you to give those measures the opportunity to work.

In particular, I would point to the fact that, at the end of February, only €162m of the €420m allocated to Member States in September had been spent in 14 Countries.”

Defending the Commission’s response to the crisis, Hogan added: “We have legislative and budgetary constraints within which we must operate, including the market orientation of the CAP and the functioning of the internal market.

“Within those parameters, I believe the Commission’s response has been swift and robust. We have now essentially deployed all of the instruments available to us.”

Crime

Farmer cleared of restraining order breach at Haverfordwest court

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been found not guilty of breaching a restraining order after being accused of referencing a protected individual in a Facebook post.

Philip Stoddart, 58, of Monkhill Farm, St Ishmaels, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jan 20) to face the charge. The prosecution, led by Ann Griffiths on behalf of the crown, alleged that between December 4 and December 13, 2023, Stoddart made a Facebook post that, by inference, referred to a person he was prohibited from contacting under a restraining order imposed by Swansea Crown Court on April 16, 2021.

The restraining order, issued under Section 360 of the Sentencing Act 2020, barred Stoddart from making any form of contact with her.

Prosecutors argued that the Facebook post constituted a breach of the order, contrary to Section 363 of the same act.

Stoddart denied the allegations and entered a not guilty plea during a prior hearing on October 1, 2024.

Magistrates Professor N. Negus, Mr. J. Steadman, and Mrs. J. Morris presided over the trial, which concluded on Monday.

After reviewing the evidence, the bench found Stoddart not guilty, dismissing the case.

The dismissal brings to a close legal proceedings that had been ongoing for over a year.

Farming

Get up to £5,000 for on-farm trials in Wales

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

FARMERS in Wales are being called to apply for the next round of funding for on-farm trials.

The Farming Connect initiative, which has funded projects such as growing lucerne in Brecon, is inviting applications for the Try Out Fund.

The new application window opens on January 27, 2025, and will run until February 17.

Successful applicants will be awarded up to £5,000 to help fund trials that experiment with new ideas on their farms.

The last round of funding supported several projects, including integrated pest management at a pick-your-own strawberry enterprise.

Menna Williams, the Farming Connect project lead, said: “Farming Connect has developed the Try Out Fund to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment.”

She added: “There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture, and now is a great time for farm businesses to explore an idea that could benefit them, allowing farms to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice.”

The fund is open to individuals or groups of up to four farmers and/or growers in Wales who have identified a local or specific problem or opportunity.

Ms Williams said: “Because these ideas are initiated by farmers themselves, they are really passionate about them, giving them 100 per cent effort right from the start.”

Projects should focus on enhancing production efficiencies and profitability while ensuring environmental protection through adherence to sustainable land management principles.

A guidance handbook is accessible on the Farming Connect website, providing support for farmers in outlining their projects and completing the application process.

To apply, individuals must be registered with Farming Connect and capable of finishing their projects by January 2026.

Ms Williams explained: “Funding can be used for technical assistance, sampling, testing and other reasonable expenses such as those relating to short-term hire of specialist equipment or facilities directly relating to the project.”

The findings will be shared with other producers in Wales by collaborating with a Farming Connect team member.

Interested parties can apply on the Farming Connect website.

To receive the link or get further information, contact [email protected].

Farming

Funding window to re-open for on-farm trials in Wales

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WITH Farming Connect-funded trials ranging from growing lucerne in Brecon to establishing sunflowers as a companion crop with maize, farmers are being invited to apply for the next round of funding from the initiative that brought these projects to life.

The new application window for the Try Out Fund opens on 27January2025 and will run until 17 February. Successful applicants will be awarded up to £5,000 to help fund on-farm trials that experiment with new ideas. The last round of funding saw farmers supported for several projects including integrated pest management at pick your own strawberry enterprise.

Project lead Menna Williams of Farming Connect said the aim is for farmers to compare different treatments or management systems – the project is not intended to fund new equipment she stressed.

“Farming Connect has developed the Try-Out Fund to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment,’’ she said. “There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture, and now is a great time for farm businesses to explore an idea that could benefit them, allowing farms to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice.’’

The fund is open to individuals or groups of up to four farmers and/or growers in Wales who have identified a local or specific problem or opportunity.

“Because these ideas are initiated by farmers themselves, they are really passionate about them, giving them 100% effort right from the start,’’ said Ms Williams.

Suitable projects must aim to improve production efficiencies and profitability whilst protecting the environment by aligning with sustainable land management outcomes. A guidance handbook is available on the Farming Connect website to help farmers scope their project and complete the application form.

Applicants must be registered with Farming Connect and be able to complete their projects by January 2026.