EC agricultural policy and the environment

Abstract

The European Community's Common Agricultural Policy has helped produce a high degree of stress on the environment. Legislation introduced in the late 1980s reflected a growing awareness of this fact, but a review of the main measures shows that they have merely had minor effects on the results of the support policy in the UK. A new political alignment involving producer and consumer groups and the 'green' movement is needed to formulate a more environmentally minded approach to agriculture. However, proposals to reduce subsidies will not be successful unless farm businesses can remain profitable.