Brussels, 23.11.21. MEP Manuela Ripa (ÖDP) has sharply criticized the Common European Agricultural Policy (CAP) in view of today's vote in Parliament. Ripa had voted against it because of the insufficient measures to protect our soils, biodiversity and climate.

The CAP is one of the EU's most important decisions, as it will have a significant impact on the agricultural policy of the individual member states over the next seven years and accounts for around 40% of EU spending. The vote will set the framework conditions for EU agricultural subsidies for the years 2023 to 2027.

Contrary to the objectives of the European Green Deal, however, the reform clearly falls short in the view of the ÖDP MEPs: "This decision is completely backward-looking. The planned agricultural policy harms biodiversity, the soil, farmers and animals. It is a fatal signal for all those who campaign against climate change, factory farming, species loss, monocultures and pesticides. That is why I, and my group, reject this reform".

Instead, the MEP and her parliamentary group had campaigned for sustainable agriculture. "More ambitious targets and measures are exactly what we need now. We are in the middle of a species and climate crisis. However, this CAP is not a solution, but exacerbates the problem. It pollutes the soil with more pesticides and fertilizers and forces small farmers to give up in favour of large corporations. Animal welfare is also not the focus of future agricultural policy; instead, large industrial livestock farms can continue to be subsidized. It is now up to the Member States' national strategy plans to make significant improvements and do more than just the absolute minimum stipulated by the EU," said MEP Ripa.

It is particularly worrying that the CAP goes against the will of over one million petitioners who supported the European Citizens' Initiative "Save Bees and Farmers". "The current version of the agricultural reform goes against the protection of biodiversity. It also fails to reflect the achievements of the #Farm2Fork strategy," said Ripa, summarizing her criticism.

Photo Credit: Pexels/Kelly L