mr president quality food is not an aspiration in europe it must continue as a reality
but its production requires a fair and competitive return
our agricultural producers must be able to earn enough to cover the extra cost generated by eu food safety animal welfare and environmental requirements
when faced with cheap and inferior imports the competitive advantage that quality should give is often not enough hence the role that needs to be played by cap funding in keeping our producers competitive
that has to be the quid pro quo for meeting the high costs imposed by eu regulation
i also deplore the continuing exploitation of producers by the major distributors who now dominate the european food markets
their abuse of their position of dominance continues with producers exploited at every turn even to the point of having to pay for their promotions
