§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what her policy is on a reduction in subsidy level for meat production; [164226]
(2) when she will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South on 24 March, reference 164226, on subsidy levels. [175877]
§ Alun MichaelThe CAP reform agreement decouples the bulk of subsidy from production, freeing up farmers to realign their businesses to meet market demands, not what subsidy regimes dictate.
230WBreaking the link between subsidy and production also removes an incentive for farmers to maximise production and so reduces environmental damage from intensive farming such as over-use of pesticides and fertilizers. Through cross-compliance obligations, the agreement also makes subsidy dependent on farmers meeting certain EU environmental, food safety, plant and animal health and animal welfare standards as well as maintaining their land in good agricultural and environmental condition. More subsidy will also be diverted from production to wider rural development and environmental initiatives which farmers undertake.