Lyon launches CAP discussion in European Parliament

4.52.29pm GMT Tue 2nd Mar 2010

George Lyon, Liberal Democrat MEP for Scotland, has published his working document on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which is designed to provoke discussion on some of the key questions facing the industry.

Commenting, Mr Lyon said:

"This document is designed to promote discussion and debate in the Parliament on some of the hard choices facing the CAP in the future.

"It sets out clearly the radical changes that the CAP has undergone already from market-distortion to market-orientation. There are substantial new challenges that must now be addressed.

"A huge increase in population, coupled with a substantial increase in demand for food from developing countries against the backdrop of less land, less water and less energy due to climate change is the key driver for reform.

"I firmly believe that a fairer, greener, more sustainable CAP is the right solution to these challenges. We must convince taxpayers and consumers that farmers are part of the solution, not part of the problem.

"It is vital that we have the resources to meet these new challenges and I will be fighting for a substantial CAP budget in order to do just that."