Conclusions of the European sheep industry conference
© Pascal Xicluna / Ministerium für Landwirtschaft und Fischerei
- from: 05.09.2008
- to: 05.09.2008
- In: Limoges, Domaine de Faugeras
A number of European agriculture policymakers, including Michel Barnier, the French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and current Chairman of the Agriculture Council, together with his English, Irish, Spanish and Romanian counterparts, met in Limoges, France, for a conference aimed at halting the current decline of ovine production in Europe. Several MEPs and a representative of the Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, also attended the conference.
It was generally agreed that the low income of sheep farmers nowadays necessitates a review of the aid they receive, if they were to remain active in the industry. Furthermore, a report adopted by the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament on 19 June 2008 proposed a series of emergency measures to bolster sheep and goat farming in the European Union.
There are two feasible approaches: either developing the environmental benefits of this production by increasing aid from the "second pillar" of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), or sustaining the activity for economic reasons by using direct aid to boost production. Both options are compatible, but ovine production is above all a revenue-generating activity and should be defended as such.
Besides direct aid, other measures should be implemented, namely to enhance European quality standards, unify health safety policies at Community level, improve the management of crises such as the current spread of bluetongue virus among sheep, or even to support research and innovation. Lastly, more emphasis needs to be placed on promoting ovine meat and boosting consumer demand for this quality product.
Speaking at the end of the discussions, Michel Barnier concluded the conference by recalling the importance of sheep-farming for France and Europe: "Global sheep stocks are steadily declining and livestock farmers' income is so low that some either change profession or stop completely. Ovine production is crucial, particularly in weaker geographical areas, but this is also a meat-producing activity (...)". He argued that "We need to quickly provide practical solutions to the current crisis".
An opinion shared by a good number of the ministers present, although the situation differs from country to country. For example, the sheep industry in Romania is undergoing intense development with a large potential market, but farmers are burdened by the same financial challenges. The Romanian Minister for Agriculture, Dacian Ciolos welcomed this initiative of the French Presidency of the European Council, saying that "Ovine production interests us immensely. To overcome the current difficulties, we should improve how the market is organised".
Presentation of the European sheep-industry conference (Announcement)
- Updated: 11.09.2008
