EU subsidies claim on golf clubs 'stupid'
Europe’s agriculture commissioner lost her cool this afternoon over claims that EU farm subsidies are being handed out to golf clubs and riding stables in the UK.
The findings in a report last week by Europe’s financial watchdog resurfaced as Mariann Fischer-Boel was promising a new streamlined, cash-efficient, environmentally-friendly Common Agricultural Policy.
And the 64-year old Dane deployed her excellent ability in the English language to full effect when she told a press conference she was “p***** off” with such “stupid” claims.
Ms Fischer-Boel wanted to focus on her plans to put a ceiling on agricultural grants to Europe’s wealthiest farmers and make sure EU payments were directed towards poorer hill farmers who most need help.
But she couldn’t shake off the damning evidence from the European Court of Auditors.
Asked during the press conference in Brussels about EU payments feeding golf course coffers, Ms Fischer-Boel replied: “Can I start by killing immediately this stupid message that we pay direct payments to golf courses?
“I was disappointed, then surprised, then I became angry to see the Court of Auditors say we paid money for golf courses.
“This is completely out of the question – it has never been our intention.”
But, aware that more than 30 UK courses have been receiving EU budget payments under the Common Agricultural Policy, she explained: “There is a situation where you have a company that owns a golf course and next to that they may have some arable or agricultural land, and of course if they are running this land as a farmer then they are entitled to get their direct payment. But we don’t support golf courses, let’s be very clear, so I hope this discussion is dead.”
It wasn’t. When another journalist was also more concerned about golf than green EU polices, Ms Fischer-Boel responded: “It is a pity that all the efforts and improvements we have been making in agriculture to ensure that money is correctly spent is totally overshadowed by the history of golf courses, and that is why I am p***** off with all this discussion.
“It is not possible to get direct payments or entitlement to set aside (leave farm land fallow) for a golf course, because it is not an agricultural activity.”
And she vowed: “If by accident (CAP cash) is paid somewhere in England (to golf courses) I can guarantee that there will be an audit on these areas, because this is not a possibility within the (CAP) system.”
Earlier environmental campaigners said the CAP changes Ms Fischer-Boel wanted to make were inadequate to bring benefits to wildlife and rural communities.
And England's National Farmer’s Union President Peter Kendall said more should be done, including a total break in the remaining link between EU handouts and farm production.
He said the idea of reducing aid payments to all farmers currently receiving more than 71,000 pounds, was “misguided”, and went on: “It would introduce more complexity instead of simplicity, especially as farmers would be bound to try to adjust their businesses in order to avoid its impact.
But the NFU welcomed proposals to end all cash aid for leaving land fallow, and the abolition by 2015 of current milk quotas.
Conservative Euro-MP and farmer Neil Parish commented: “The challenges facing farming today are as numerous as the opportunities and we need a CAP that will embrace the opportunities and minimise the threats.”
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) spokesman in the UK said the UK wanted to cut the CAP’s “trade-distorting nature”, give farmers more control of their businesses and spend more CAP money on public rural benefits.
He added: “There has already been considerable progress made on CAP reform. However more needs to be done, and we welcome the CAP health check and EU budget review which follows it as opportunities to take reform further.”
