The European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, assures Efe that the spanish meat It is not of lower quality than that of the rest of the European Union, in full controversy over the words of the Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón, on macro farms, but recognizes the “problem” with the development of these farms and specifies that Brussels wants to promote small ones.
“Spanish meat has the same quality as other European meats and other European foods, “he declares, although he refuses to value Garzón’s words.
The politician pronounces like this before traveling to Spain, where on Thursday he will visit La Palma, and on Friday he will meet in Madrid with the Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas.
Wojciechowski travels to the country when the controversy persists over the statements of Garzón, who in an interview with ‘The Guardian’ stated that the macro-farms “pollute the soils, pollute the water and then normally export” their meat, which he considered “worse quality “and fruit of” animal abuse “.
According to the commissioner, there is “no reason to say that Spanish food, Spanish meat, is of lower quality than others in the European Union.”
“But of course we have the problem with the development of large-scale agricultureespecially in some sectors of animal production, such as pork, poultry and laying hens “, he confirms.
He admits that in Europe “they need all types of agriculture“, but adds that now” one of the most important objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is to support small and medium-sized farms. “
“That is our priority, and also in animal production. I know that in Spain there is good national legislation that supports small-scale agriculture, especially in animal production, “he says.
Food safety
Likewise, he is convinced that the new CAP, which will come into force in 2023, “will strengthen European agriculture and also Spanish, firstly, paying more attention to small farmers.”
“There will not be food safety if we allow small farmers to be removed from the farming system in the European Union. No. We should stop this process and give small farmers the possibility to continue their cultivation and farming. “
It also indicates that in smaller farms “it is easier to ensure good standards of animal welfare” and “to achieve sustainability of production”.
“The good ratio between the agricultural land and the number of animals. That is the question of the short supply chain. We need reduce the distance from farm to table. That is one of the priorities of the European Union, of the European Commission, to reduce this long distance from farm to fork. In small-scale farming, this is easier. “
At the same time, he recalls that exports “in some sectors” are “very important”, and gives the example of spanish fruits, Therefore, it also calls for supporting exporters.
CAP plans
The States had to send to the European Commission by January 1 the national strategic plans on how they intend to apply the future CAP and Spain was one of the countries that met the deadline.
The commissioner does not expect “problems” with the approval of the Spanish plan because the cooperation between the Madrid Executive and the European Commission “is very good.”
Brussels has to evaluate these plans and hopes to communicate its first observations to the countries by the end of March.
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Wojciechowski insists that “one of the important ideas” that these plans should contemplate is support for small farmers.
“We have the big problem throughout the European Union that in recent years we lost a lot of small farms that they were not able to compete with large-scale agriculture, “he says.
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