That said, there are some people for whom every penny counts. The answer to their situation is not to continue with factory farming, but to adopt social policies designed to ensure that everyone can afford food which is safe, nutritious and humane.
5. Reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy
EU taxpayers should insist that part of the 40 billion Euros spent each year on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should be used to help farmers move away from industrial agriculture.
The CAP (and subsidies in the US) should be completely overhauled so that taxpayers’ money is no longer used to support undesirable farming methods, but instead promotes the sustainable, safe and humane agriculture that the public increasingly wants.
5. Reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy
EU taxpayers should insist that part of the 40 billion Euros spent each year on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should be used to help farmers move away from industrial agriculture.
The CAP (and subsidies in the US) should be completely overhauled so that taxpayers’ money is no longer used to support undesirable farming methods, but instead promotes the sustainable, safe and humane agriculture that the public increasingly wants.
6. Reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules
Probably the biggest obstacle to attempts by the EU to introduce a better agriculture are the free trade rules of the WTO. Under those rules, even though the EU can ban a cruel farming system in its own territory, it cannot ban the import of meat or eggs derived from animals reared in that system in non-EU countries.
This acts as a major deterrent to the EU going ahead with its own ban as its farmers risk being undermined by cheap, low-welfare imports. Although I refer to the EU, the point I am making applies to any WTO member who wishes to introduce better farming.
Probably the biggest obstacle to attempts by the EU to introduce a better agriculture are the free trade rules of the WTO. Under those rules, even though the EU can ban a cruel farming system in its own territory, it cannot ban the import of meat or eggs derived from animals reared in that system in non-EU countries.
This acts as a major deterrent to the EU going ahead with its own ban as its farmers risk being undermined by cheap, low-welfare imports. Although I refer to the EU, the point I am making applies to any WTO member who wishes to introduce better farming.
It is ridiculous that we have signed up to an international treaty which insists that free trade must be given precedence over ethical concerns such as human rights and animal welfare.
The WTO rules must be reformed so that they no longer make it difficult for countries to move towards a sustainable, humane agriculture.
I am not suggesting that a country should be allowed to discriminate in favour of its own producers, but it should be able to prohibit the import of meat or eggs reared in systems which are illegal in its own territory on cruelty grounds.
Peter Stevenson
Political and Legal Director
Compassion in World Farming
http://www.ciwf.co.uk
The WTO rules must be reformed so that they no longer make it difficult for countries to move towards a sustainable, humane agriculture.
I am not suggesting that a country should be allowed to discriminate in favour of its own producers, but it should be able to prohibit the import of meat or eggs reared in systems which are illegal in its own territory on cruelty grounds.
Peter Stevenson
Political and Legal Director
Compassion in World Farming
http://www.ciwf.co.uk