
As knows, consultations of the department of agriculture with different agricultural environments on the topic of the new definition of a active farmer are underway.
We have described its
foundations including in the following articles:
Read more
active farmer. We-know the-thesis proposed by ministry!
Read more
We know, how many people can meet the definition of farmer active
Janusz Wojciechowski, former commissioner EU ds. agriculture very critically appreciates the idea of establishing a new definition of active farmer proposed by the resort of agriculture. considers, that it is contradictory to EU requirements. In what aspects?
Concept: active farmer = factual farmer, not will
Commissioner referred to this concept new definition, which supposes that some farmers will have to receive invoices, to prove that he is an active
– EU law does (and justifiably) exclude a farmer from subsidies under such scheme: no you have invoices = no you sell = no produce = you are active = no you right to subsidies -. explains on his profile on social media Janusz Wojciechowski.
– To detail pictorially: One can say: you sell agricultural products – you are a farmer. But already no can say – you don’t sell you are a farmer. One can say: you have a cow – you are a farmer. But no can say – no you have a cow – you are a farmer – adds.
Further writes:
1. Start with WTO – World Organization.Trade. Well this organization, to which the European Union belongs as whole, with its common market, prohibits subsidies for agricultural production, it obviously in this case for equality of competition in the world market. Farmers can be helped in different ways, I won’t get in details here, but it cannot be directly supporting or stimulating agricultural production. Who does this, that immediately may have problems in trading in world markets.
2. European Union as the largest in the world exporter of agricultural and food products and having huge surpluses in agricultural trade with third countries (70 million euro in 2023 year, yes, yes, thanks to working farmers the Union has an increasing problem not where to buy, only where to sell agricultural products), no may disregard rules WTO, because the balance in the world market is the worst thing for our farmers. We respect those rules in our own interest and that’s why we to agricultural production right we don’t subsidize. There may be and are payments for animal welfare, but payments for how much the farmer produced milk may not be. Because it would violate rules WTO.
3.
4. From the above reasons EU definition of agricultural activities, being the basis for further definition of active farmers, must not be confined to only only agricultural production (nor more the sale thereof) but must include also that, which is stipulated in art. 4 paragraph. 2 Regulation EU 2115/2021 (on strategic plans for Common Agricultural Policy), a meaning that agricultural activities are not only the production of agricultural products, but also .”…maintaining agricultural lands in a state, that makes they suitable for grazing or grazing .crops, without the necessity of taking preparatory activities beyond the use of ordinary agricultural methods and ordinary agricultural equipment…”. This is explained definitely the thesis 9 preambles of Regulation 2115/2021: “To increase the role of agriculture in providing public goods, it is necessary to establish an appropriate framework definition of agricultural activities. In addition, to ensure, that the Union can fulfill its international obligations for internal support as defined in the Agriculture WTO, a in particular, that would support income to sustainability objectives and related to it types of intervention be still reported as support category green, that does not cause disruption of trade or changes in production, or that does at the minimum degree, in the framework definition of “agricultural activity” should include both the production of agricultural products, as and maintaining agricultural uses, leaving farmers a choice between these two activities. In order to adapt to local conditions the member states should define the binding definitions of “farming activities” and appropriate conditions in their strategic WPR plans..”
5. You cannot then tell the farmer – you do not sell, meaning you do not operate agriculture. Not have invoices not have additions. Because the farmer then in accordance with law EU says – I don’t have to produce, it’s enough that I keep my land in good condition.
I and therefore any attempt to eliminate farmers from WPR only because they do not have invoices, are free. Conditions of sale cannot be imposed on farmers.
6. No means that however, that everyone, who keeps the land in good condition is automatically entitled to subsidies. No, because the EU law introduces also the concepts of active farmer and allows valuation of agricultural activities (and in following this dependent right to subsidies) under different angles, a under which this precisely is calculated in art. 4 paragraphs 5 of the aforementioned Regulation 2115/2021:
“….In determining, who is “an active farmer”, the member states apply objective and non-discriminatory criteria, such as: examination of income, inputs of work on the farm, subject activity of enterprise and inclusion of agricultural activities of those persons in national or regional registers. Criteria such may become the factor.introduced in one or multiple forms selected by member states, including in the negative list excluding recognition of a farmer as a active farmer professionally. If member states recognize farmers as professionally active those farmers, who in the previous year have not received direct payments exceeding a specified amount, this amount cannot be higher than 5 000 EUR….”. I point out that among this criteria is not having, because it cannot be, any size of production and this more size of sales.
7. Current Poland definition of active farmer, because this is in Poland KPS (National Strategic Plan for Common Agricultural Policy ) and this even extended, meets all requirements of the framework EU definition and does not violate the disallowance of production resulting from rules WTO. Attempts to “improve” this definition and
plan
verify agricultural activity with sales invoices, are contradictory to both the law EU (mentioned above regulations) and with important and favorable for
us WTO rules.
Already I won’t mention (because I’ve mentioned many times) how very harmful and dangerous to hundreds thousands ofsmallfarms,notsettledforintensivecommercialization,butimportantforfood security.
Becauseeveniflargefarmsaremoreonfood,thensmallfarmsaremoreto defend us.Thiswasinthe pastandinthefuturemaybesotobe.