Blog: My weekly update - Hoofdinhoud

"agriculture not only give riches to a nation, but the only riches she can call her own".

After the return from Washington DC last week, I travelled to Paris on Sunday last for the Salon de l'Agriculture. One of the landmark events of the French and European Agriculture calendar, it was an opportunity to meet with Minister Stephane Le Foll as well as an honour to meet the President of the Senate, Mr Gérard Larcher. I updated them on progress on concluding the French Rural Development Programme up to 2020.

The Salon de l'Agriculture also offered an opportunity to respond to concerns about recent price falls in the pigmeat sector, due in part to the Russian ban. Having monitored the market for some time now, I have concluded that the sector needs support. I have, therefore, proposed that we should open private storage for pigmeat. I believe that this is the most effective tool available to me. This measure would remove a considerable volume of product from the market, which should have the effect of putting a floor under the market, stabilising the financial situation of farmers and should enable the market to recover by stimulating the fragile recovery in prices.

In relation to the dairy sector and, specifically to the issue of the payment of the superlevy at the end of this quota year, I have listened very carefully to the concerns of member states and have responded by proposing to the Commission that Member States be allowed to let farmers make their payments over a maximum of three years in zero interest instalments. This is a significant move that would provide considerable flexibility to farmers and would provide a significant cash-flow benefit to those farmers who might otherwise face a substantial bill in 2015, at a time when they may be investing to take advantage of the post-quota environment.

On Monday I travelled to Birmingham ahead of the National Farmers' Union of England and Wales National Conference. I met with Secretary of State Liz Truss MP to discuss the simplification agenda amongst other issues. I also met with local cereal and dairy farmers who raised concerns with the implementation of greening, particularly in relation to the three crop rule. I outlined possible solutions being implemented in other member states, such as France, where equivalence measures have been agreed as part of their national implementation.

Tuesday allowed me to speak directly to farmers in my keynote speech, followed by a question and answer session at the NFU Conference. I highlighted the importance of food security and the fact that the Common Agricultural Policy is responsible for delivering this public good. I also praised the work of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which I believe could form a model for action at EU level in terms of fairness in the food chain. I was glad to use the opportunity of being in Birmingham, where the great English man of letters Samuel Johnson began his career, to repeat his quote that "agriculture not only give riches to a nation, but the only riches she can call her own".

On Wednesday, the College finalised the Energy Union package, which was launched by Vice-President Sefcovic and Commissioner Arias Canete. I am part of the Project Team on Energy Union. It was an important day in the term of the Juncker Commission, as Energy Union is one of the ten priorities of our Political Guidelines. The agri-food sector is an intensive consumer of energy products, so a robust, sustainable and competitive energy market in the EU will see further jobs and growth in rural areas, from farmer to processor to retailer.

On Thursday and Friday I was in Valencia in Spain to give an address to the 7th Conference of Spanish Co-operatives. I am a big fan of the co-operative model and thus I took the opportunity to highlight the new incentives for producers' organisations in the CAP, such as competition guidelines to strengthen their position in the food chain, and an increased promotion budget to take advantage of opportunities for the sector on global markets. It was also an ideal occasion to visit some co-operatives, including Canso in L'Alcudia, Anecoop in Valencia and Verdifresh in Riba-roja. I was honoured to be accompanied by Spanish Minister for Agriculture Isabel Garcia Tejerina and her team, as well as President of Comunitat Valenciana, Mr Alberto Fabra, who really made me feel welcome on his home turf. I want to pay particular thanks to Co-operativas Agro-Alimentarias President Angel Villafranca and Director General Eduardo Baamonde for the background work put in in making the visit such a success.

On Friday afternoon I returned to Brussels to catch up on preparations for the week ahead. I have spoken before of the importance of the Protected Geographical Indicator model as "rural intellectual property". It was another great week for EU PGIs as two more were approved - 'Liliputas' Cheese in Lithuania, as well as Weißlacker/Allgäuer Weißlacker’ cheese from Germany. Quality produce, made in the EU!