New EU agricultural policy: vegan burgers are not taken away and farmers who want support are “green”

A hamburger without meat will remain, milk without milk will not

The biggest intrigue was whether the EP would accept amendments that prohibit naming plant-based products with meat or dairy names. One of the proposals proposed that steak (‘steak’), sausages, escalators, hamburgers (‘hamburgers’) be recognized exclusively as meat dishes, and the names of these dishes of plant origin should be changed. I mean, there can be no “vegan burgers”. Other MEPs suggested clearly labeling those dishes as “meatless”, “vegan”. The third is to allow ‘vegan burgers’, but to ban the name ‘vegan ham’.

“I have eaten those vegan ‘hamburgers’ and they are all delicious, but the controversy here is whether a ‘hamburger’ (hamburger) can be vegan. I separate, it suits me and so on,” Juozas Olekas told DELFI.lt before the vote. (member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development), member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Mora Bizzotto, an Italian from the Identity and Democracy Group, was more excited when she spoke at the EP session: “There is no meat without meat. Synthetic meat made in a laboratory where no gram of real meat can be called meat. Our farmers and consumers must be protected. “

It is farmers who are most threatened by the ‘vegan industry’, which has become particularly popular recently, when consumers are offered the same burgers but they are healthier and more environmentally friendly because they are plant-based.

However, on Friday, the EP rejected all the amendments that regulate the names of vegan products in one way or another.

But dairy products have been “defended by vegans” by MEPs. According to the amendments adopted by the EP, “almond milk” should be called “almond drink” and there would be no “cheese flavor” or “yogurt substitute” if they did not use milk.

Wants support – grow organically

However, the most important change in the CAP is that EU governments must draw up strategic plans that set out how they intend to achieve EU objectives, including environmental ones. The European Commission will monitor the compliance of these plans with EU standards and their implementation.

“The Commission has proposed a 30% green scheme instead of the previous greening (which is difficult to calculate, etc.). Support will be allowed through an ecological scheme, which will be chosen by each member state individually and will have to defend itself in the Commission, ”explained Bronis Ropė (Greens), another member of the EP’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

He added that if a farmer wants to participate in organic programs, he will receive additional support, if he does not want, he may not participate.

According to Olek, if farmers do not use environmentally friendly measures (insufficient crop rotation, etc.), EU payments may still be limited, but there are reserves for small and medium-sized farms. The EP supported the amendment that penalties (5-10% reduction in aid) could be imposed if farms repeatedly failed to comply with environmental or animal welfare standards. By the way, Lithuania has already received threats from the European Commission as it does not stop the practice of cutting pig tails and thus violates animal welfare standards.

As regards small and medium-sized farms, this is one of the EP’s ambitions. Therefore, another change in the CAP is the reduction of payments to large farms.

“According to current estimates, 80 percent. EU payments account for 20%. The largest farms in the EU”, – said J. Olekas.

“It is proposed to limit it to 100 thousand. EUR per entity and from 60 thousand. To start reducing. It is still planned not to include wages and taxes,” said B. Rope, adding that this can only affect about 80 farms, and the “ceiling ”Established in Lithuania – 150 thousand euros.

The EP also supported the amendments, which provide penalties for agricultural holdings for non-compliance
conditions of work and employment and obligations of the employer.

“This is our group’s proposal on social guarantees. To receive support, it is necessary to ensure that employees receive at least the minimum wage and other conditions are ensured: they do not live in the same room with 10 cows, as was the case in Germany, ”said J. Olekas.

Another adopted amendment asks states to empower farmers by 10%. they leave their lands unused: biofauna, infertile trees or ponds. The EP also calls for more support for farmers who reduce production when markets and prices become unbalanced.

Not everyone supports it

However, not all MEPs were in a rush to support the CAP reform: for some it was too ambitious, for others too little was taken into account in the European Green Course, etc.

“My political group did not support the new agricultural policy because it does not address the crucial issue of the viability of all farms in the EU, as support ranges from 15 to 30%. Income, and the rest of the farmer has to collect the product sold, and there are no safeguards to sell the product. There are many bankruptcies, farms are shrinking, young people do not want to go to farms, “said B. Rope, a member of the political group Verde.

He said before the vote that he would follow the group’s position, that is, that he would not support the reform of the CAP: This remains one of the most supported and least supported unequal competitive conditions. That’s why I think we have to give it back to improve it. “

At the time, the Democratic Socialist J. Olekas said he would vote in favor of CAP reform because support for young farmers was established there (4% chance of total EU support received by the state). The MEP also said that he had tried to push through an amendment that provided for equalization of benefits, but met strong resistance.

Later, B. Rope also stated that he proposed amendments aimed at unifying direct payments to farmers, but did not receive support and accused his compatriots in part: “Although all elected MEPs in Lithuania, except A. Maldeikienė, voted in favor of these amendments, there was no necessary support. It is obvious that the Lithuanian comrades did not work or did not work enough within their factions. “

The EP supported an amendment that states that by 2024 benefits must reach 75%. average, and by 2027. – 100%

The reform of the CAP has been promoted by the three most important groups in the European Parliament: the European People’s Party, the Socialist Democrats and the Renew Europe group.

“The message from Europe is that the number of small and medium-sized farms will increase and that monoculture will not take root in the Lithuanian countryside,” said J. Olekas.

EU ministers also agreed

By the way, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, after long and difficult negotiations, the EU agriculture ministers also agreed on the main orientations of the new CAP. They also have a strong focus on the environment. In other words, farmers will only receive support if they take steps that help reduce the environment and climate, and those who take additional steps in this direction will receive even more funding. All farmers, even small ones, will be subject to environmental requirements.

The CAP now faces difficult trilogues between the EP, the European Commission and the Council of Europe. The CAP package will return to the EP and, once approved by the EP, will enter into force in 2023. Until then, the current provisions of the CAP will remain in force.

The CAP represents 34.5%. total 2020 From the EU budget (5,812 million euros). About 70 percent. CAP support is provided to support up to seven million farms in the European Union.