Amidst a drop of prices that has been devastating beef and pork producers for the last decades, the EU Meat Market Observatory today heard ECVC’s analysis on the situation of the pig sector and solutions to overcome the crisis. To respond to the situation faced by pig and beef producers alike, ECVC highlights the importance of implementing regulation mechanisms as well as a revision of competition rules in favor of policies that protect small farmers and fosters sustainable mutual help between producers.
Brussels, June 13, 2017 – Amidst a drop of prices that has been devastating beef and pork producers for the last decades, the EU Meat Market Observatory [1] (MMO) today heard ECVC’s analysis on the situation of the pig sector and solutions to overcome the crisis.
At the start of her presentation before the MMO, Gwenaelle Martin from Belgium’s FUGEA (Federation Unie de Groupements d’Eleveurs et d’Agriculteurs – ECVC member), pointed to the accumulation of bad European policies that have led to the current situation of the pig market across Europe, such as the deregulation of the sector and the increase in production costs for farmers.
“The agreements reached in 2015 for the pig sector, which included the pre-financing of 7,5 million euros for sow premiums, have had very little -if only symbolic- impact on the ground, because, among others, it only carried out short term solutions. The conditions put forth by competition authorities were responsible for the shortfall of this agreement, which excluded market regulation,“ argued the representative of FUGEA, presenting the situation in Belgium since 2015.
To respond to the situation faced by pig and beef producers alike, ECVC highlights the importance of implementing regulation mechanisms as well as a revision of competition rules in favor of policies that protect small farmers and fosters sustainable mutual help between producers. In concrete terms this means:
· Promoting genetic diversity of breeds of cattle and pigs
· Clear and transparent labeling on the origins of processed meat products
· Promoting small-scale slaughterhouses
· The exclusion of agriculture from free trade agreements, which have devastated farmers across Europe and the world.
However, for ECVC the recognition and protection of alternatives models of productions, as are extensive systems, is urgent. In this sense, pig farming also exists at the small and medium scale, with this serving as an additional source of income for peasant farmers, apart from a production of dairy products, vegetables, grains or fruits. For this level of pig farming no particular or special support is accorded from public institutions.
For ECVC’s complete position on cattle farming and pig rearing please click the corresponding links.
Taking into account the current process in the European Union to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) these discussions in the MMO are the more relevant. For peasant-farming organizations this is a space where to demand solutions and promote other agricultural models to face the crisis.
Contact:
Gwenaelle Martin (FUGEA – ECVC): +32 491 5633 88 FR
José Miguel Pacheco Gonçalves (Coordination Committee ECVC): +35 1968 7219 95 PT, ES
Antonio Onorati (Coordination Committee ECVC): +39 3408 2194 56 IT, ES, FR, EN
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Note for editors:
[1] It’s been nearly a year since ECVC participates as an expert in the pork and beef sectors for the European Commission in the Meat Market Observatory, a space of technical discussions set up by the EU Commission meant to provide the EU beef and pig sector with market data and short-term analysis
image: Land Workers’ Alliance – Tamarisk farm