Common Agricultural Policy revisions will bring taxpayers better value for money

11.42.50am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 1st May 2009

Liberal Democrat proposals for reforming the Common Agricultural Policy will give taxpayers better value for money without risking food production, says Lib Dem candidate and West Midlands farmer Phil Bennion. "It is inevitable that the CAP budget will continue to fall over the next ten years. European Liberal Democrats will make sure that the money we continue to spend will deliver environmental improvements and countryside conservation as well as food security and rural jobs," said Dr Bennion, who has taken responsibility for drawing up the party's position.

Phil Bennion Promoting Local Produce in Shrewsbury

European Liberal Democrats are committed to a multilateral approach to reforming the CAP through WTO agreements. "There would no point in Europe going it alone in slashing farm subsidies", continued Dr Bennion. "This would risk our farmers going out of business and farmland being abandoned. At the same time rainforest would be cleared for agriculture elsewhere to replace our production. In the next round of reforms we must guard against any such unintended consequences. We must ensure that the rest of the world moves in step with the European Union"

However, Liberal Democrats believe that continued reform is essential. On the one hand we must reverse the loss of biodiversity in the farmed environment, whilst on the other, Europe has other pressing spending priorities such as addressing climate change and getting more competitive in the face of globalisation. In a world where food security is again becoming an issue, farmers, environmentalists and the general taxpayer can trust European Liberal Democrats to lead the way.