23 ASSOCIATIONS WRITE TO MINISTER LOLLOBRIGIDA

The proposed changes to the Common Agricultural Policy presented by the European Commission and supported by the Italian government take us back 25 years! Agriculture cannot exist without the protection of soil, water, air, animal welfare and our natural capital.

23 Associations sent a letter to the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, to request a discussion on the future of agriculture and agri-food systems in Europe and in our country, enlarged also to Environmental, Animal and Agroecology Associations.

“The mobilization of farmers in recent weeks has brought to the news a conflict, real or alleged, between the goals of the necessary and indispensable ecological transition and primary production“, write the 23 Associations for many years committed to the promotion of an agro-ecological transition of the agricultural model both nationally and globally, always available for discussion with institutions, economic and social partners.

“Aware of the difficulties that the agribusiness system has been facing for many years, we are convinced that the cause does not lie in environmental regulations, but essentially in structural problems in the primary sector, which require strong institutional and all-stakeholder commitment,” the 23 Associations emphasize in addressing the minister.

Contrasting the goals of environmental sustainability with those of economic sustainability of farms would be a serious mistake, because the two goals are closely related. The European “Farm to Fork” and “Biodiversity 2030” Strategies are not the cause of the economic crisis in the agribusiness sector, but are part of the solution to the problem of farmers’ income sustainability. For these reasons, the Associations express their concerns about the weakening of the Common Agricultural Policy objectives discussed at the last AgriFish European Council. The European Commission has proposed the deletion of some commitments under Pillar I cross-compliance, the mandatory environmental, soil and biodiversity protection actions linked to the basic payments farmers receive with their annual CAP application. These proposals by the European Commission only partially meet the demands made by some member states, including Italy, which called for the elimination of commitments to protect wetlands and peatlands, to maintain organic matter in soils, the obligation of rotations and areas designated for nature conservation. Agriculture Commissioner Janus Wojciechowski said he was in favor of these changes by proposing to transform these mandatory commitments into voluntary schemes for farmers to be paid with resources in addition to basic CAP payments.

Effectively cancelling most of the environmental commitments of the current CAP would result in a 25-year return to the past, ignoring the serious environmental crises of climate change and biodiversity loss that we urgently need to address today. Ignoring these problems means exposing European and national agriculture to serious risks, with losses in yields and thus income for farmers, exacerbating the economic crisis brought about by financial speculation and the dynamics of agricultural product prices.

This backtracking on environmental commitments in the 2023-2027 CAP also risks disrupting the approach of the National Strategic Plan. Addressing Minister Lollobrigida, the 23 Associations pointed out that they had learned from the press that a “Permanent Policy Table” had been set up to discuss possible amendments to this Plan with only the Agricultural Associations, and asked “That Civil Society Associations also be represented within the said table, as provided for in the European Regulations“. The 23 Associations also recall that this Table should not and cannot replace the National Strategic Plan Monitoring Committee, the forum where changes to the Strategic Plan are to be discussed and decided upon.

The future of agriculture and agri-food systems cannot be considered the exclusive interest of Agricultural Associations but concerns all citizens. Therefore, the 23 Associations conclude, “we are convinced of the need for effective cooperation and the overcoming of the current, fruitless climate of confrontation. The entire agricultural sector and Civil Society Associations must be drivers of the ecological transition of the economy to address the crises, economic, social and environmental, which have dramatic effects on agriculture.”

Rome, February 29, 2024

The 23 environmental, animal welfare, agroecology and consumer associations sending this communiqué represent a broad alliance that shares the vision of an ecological transition in Italian and European agriculture that protects all farmers, citizens, animals and the environment.