EU: the agricultural strategy "From farm to fork" validated by the European Parliament
Organic farm near Rouen, in northwestern France, in October 2019 (Image illustration).
AFP - LOU BENOIST
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Halve the use of pesticides, by 20% that of fertilizers and reduce antibiotics by 50% for farm animals.
These are some of the objectives of the European agricultural strategy "From farm to fork" validated by Parliament on Tuesday 19 October.
It aims to increase the share of cultivated land in organic farming and fight against food waste.
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With our special
correspondent in Strasbourg
,
Carlotta Morteo
It is rare to find subjects which are almost unanimous.
“
This strategy is going in the right direction, it's positive.
There are aspects of the end of cage farming, there are aspects of the possibility of promoting local production
, explains Manuel Bompart, MEP La France Insoumise, member of the agriculture committee.
But, unfortunately, what organizes the agricultural system in Europe is the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and there, the pesticide reduction targets that are displayed in the “From farm to fork” strategy are not taken. taken into account by the CAP.
"
►Also listen: Will the future of the CAP be greener?
The rapporteur of this strategy in 48 points and a good hundred pages is not of this opinion.
According to the Italian MEP Herbert Dorfmann, member of the EPP, nothing will prevent the States from directing their share of the CAP, 162 billion euros allocated to agriculture and the second largest item of expenditure of the European Union, towards sustainable projects.
"
We are not talking about the industry that transforms products
"
He even wanted to broaden the spectrum of the text.
“
We are not talking about the industry which transforms products, of commerce, of the consumer.
We are only talking about agriculture, and not about the serious problem of the redistribution of value for example, when we know that the producer earns less and less and the intermediaries more and more,
”he indicates.
European agribusiness lobbies have stepped up to the plate, suggesting that agricultural yields would drop between 10% and 20% for lack of fertilizers and pesticides.
This time, their argument did not convince.
It remains to be seen what will remain of this text when it comes to transposing it to the legislative level, so that it becomes binding.
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