Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had an impact on agricultural production and food supply throughout the EU including rising costs and availability of inputs.
To cope with this crisis, the European Commission has asked member states to adapt their Common Agricultural Policy national strategic plans taking into consideration the ongoing effects of the war.
Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has also stated that the EU must increase food production in light of the war in the Ukraine.
Countries have been encouraged to use derogations from environmental measures in the CAP, including an exceptional easing of rules on planting crops in ecologically sensitive areas.
The FUW has also urged the Welsh Government to relax Glastir rules to enable farms to maximise crop and fodder production this year.
Several EU states have announced plans to support their farmers due to the pressures resulting from the ongoing crisis. Poland, Bulgaria and Croatia have created support packages for farmers impacted by the rising costs of production worth €836 million, €560 million and €25.5 million respectively.
Representatives of the Visegrad Group – Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia – together with their counterparts from Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, Croatia, and Estonia have called for a temporary postponement or adjustment of any restrictions to food production in the new CAP and asked for its implementation to be delayed by a year due to issues facing these countries bordering Ukraine.
The Welsh Government has announced that the Agriculture (Wales) Bill will be delayed until the Autumn to provide time to rethink its ambitions for agriculture in Wales and ensure that sustainable food production is fully recognised in light of the war in Ukraine.