The EU stumbles in its approach to industrial agriculture

The European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy indicated the ambition of the European Commission to overhaul EU farming policy and make it more sustainable. The Green Deal proposed that 40% of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should “contribute to climate action.” (my blog of 5 May).

The European Council conclusions of 13 July stated that industrial agriculture “increases the risk of future pandemics and need to be tackled” (my blog of 22 July).

Then, in the week beginning 19 October, the European Parliament undid much of the good achieved by the Commission and the Council. The Parliament rejected the proposal to ban the term “veggie burger”; BUT approved a ban on applying dairy terms (e.g. creamy, yogurt-style and cheese substitute) to plant-based products; AND voted against limiting agricultural subsidies to intensive factory farms e.g. by not providing support to concentrated animal feeding operations.

This demonstrated a total lack of ambition to use EU farm subsidies to achieve significant improvements for animals and the environment; and above all wasted (indeed spurned) a valuable opportunity to achieve comprehensive and radical reform of the CAP in the wake of the Green Deal. The Council were reduced to issuing a statement that the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy were simply “recommendations”: thus failing to support the Commission at a crucial time.

These results were achieved through hard lobbying of MEPs by the powerful industrial interests behind factory farming; and by more than a hint of sharp practice – the timing of key votes was brought forward at the last minute.

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) together with other animal welfare groups also worked with MEPs, and achieved some success e.g. preventing the proposed ban on the “veggie burger”. But overall, MEPS voted to keep industrial farming on artificial life support. As the head of the CIWF EU office Olga Kikou said, “It is shameful that EU farm subsidies will continue to funnel billions of euros into factory farms. For over 60 years EU tax payers have been feeding corporate giants, even when animals in factory farms are raised in abominable conditions.” 

Comment

The European Parliament continues to support an unreformed CAP despite its association with industrial farming, the loss of biodiversity (soil erosion, over-extraction of water resources, air and water pollution) and incompatibility with the Green Deal. It voted for business as usual rather than transformational change.

As soon as the present Commission took office, President Von der Leyen and Vice-President Timmermans came forward with the European Green Deal vision as a flagship policy. By contrast, the Parliament has stuck with the status quo. The vote was mainly along party lines, with very few MEPs diverging; and was based on a 3-party agreement (European People’s Party, Socialists and Democrats, and Renew Europe) struck a few days before the vote. They have and retain a majority, despite vocal opposition from civil society. Over the years it has proved very difficult to overhaul the subsidy system or make any significant CAP reforms.

This is an important set-back for those attempting to end factory farming and encourage regenerative agriculture: for the sake of the planet, the environment, human health and the animals themselves. But the current cast of MEPs and industrial agriculture are on the wrong side of history. As vegetable protein products and cultivated meat are further developed, and as prices fall – especially for the latter; and as the sheer waste and misuse of (valuable and finite) resources which lie at the heart of factory farming methods become ever more obvious: industrial farming will inevitably end. And we can return to a world where billions of animals do not suffer because of mankind’s infatuation with animal protein; and where environmental degredation is treated as it should be - as a threat to our planet and all its inhabitants.

Sir David Madden (Vice Chair of CIWF, and Distinguished Friend of St Antony’s College, Oxford)