§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his meeting with organic farmers on 5 February.
§ Mr. CurryMy right hon. Friend the Minister met representatives of the Soil Association and British Organic Farmers/Organic Growers Association on 5 February. Support for organic farming was discussed in the context of proposals made within the agrienvironment part of the MacSharry proposals for reform of the common agricultural policy. My right hon. Friend reiterated his view that environmental measures should be a central feature of CAP reform and that support for organic farming could make a useful contribution to the reduction of surpluses.
However, he stressed that support for organic farming was only one of many issues to be discussed in the CAP negotiations and that the eventual outcome of those negotiations is, inevitably, uncertain.