More Policy GBFs from the EU

[melvill]

Today, the EU has proposed ending
farmer's mandated 10% land fallow set aside, part of a strategy to limit soaring grain prices and increase supplies. If EU agriculture ministers agree, farmers would still be able to set aside part of their arable area voluntarily. If adopted, this would immediately impact fall 2007 and spring 2008 seedings, the Commission said in its proposal. "If the set-aside rate was set to 0%, the effective return of land could be between 1.6 and 2.9 million hectares,"

That's 4 to over 7 million additional acres, if adopted. Interesting.

[agstar77]

Just proves consumers have more power than producers to influence government.

[FarmRanger]

"Just proves consumers have more power than producers to influence government."

...Unless the producer is part of Canadian supply management.

[uef]

Actually the manadatetd fallow set aside has been dwindling already in the last 10 years. It went down 5% a couple of years ago (if I remember correctly) and then there are all theses exemptions. For instance you can grow ****-seed for renewable resources (bio diesel)on the set-aside land. Or what corn for "bio-gas". And even if they decide to just put a cover crop like an annual grass they can legally harvest the second cut.