July 13 , 2005: British farmers rally
in Brussels for a fairer deal for sugar
Robert Sturdy MEP has saluted farmers from across the European
Union, including over 100 Brits, who are travelling to Brussels
for a rally on Monday, 18 July, that will protest against reforms
which threaten to put many small producers out of business.
"The
Commission's proposals as they stand will devastate the sugar industry
in Europe as well as in developing countries. Farmers are coming
together to say that this reform, which will benefit a handful
of Brazilian sugar daddies and multi-national companies, is bad
for consumers, bad for the environment and bad for farmers.
This
is not about subsidies. Sugar is not subsidised as part of the
Common Agricultural Policy. Everyone agrees that the 4 million
tonnes of excess sugar produced by Europe must stop, and that dumping
of sugar in poor countries should cease. But why does this mean
that all our sugar comes from Brazil? Sugar currently provides
livelihoods and self-respect for people in Africa, the Caribbean
and the Pacific. A sugar reform that would help the world's poorest
farmers and reduce European over-production would be fair enough,
but the current proposals will only make things worse".
The
European Commission has proposed a 40% price cut for sugar, although
with the next EU Budget still unresolved it is not clear exactly
where compensation payments for farmers in Europe and developing
countries will come from.
Protesters on Monday will carry banners
on the march, which is being organised by the NFU, and will be
led by a beet harvester. National delegations will join the march
at pre-arranged points along the 3.5km route.
Mr Sturdy represents
the Eastern Region, where more than half the UK’s sugar beet
is grown, and will address farmers after the rally. Around 100
farmers from Britain, many from (Norfolk/Cambridgeshire) will take
part.
