Brussels, 04/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - COPA-COGECA has highlighted the benefits of forage legumes and is requesting that they can be grown in areas deemed to be ecological focus areas (EFAs) as part of the new common agricultural policy (CAP).
In a press release published on Monday 3 June 2013, COPA-COGECA announced that Jean-Pol Verzeaux, a farmer from the Marne region and president of the Coop de France déshydratation, had been elected chairman of its Dried Fodder Working Party.
Verzeaux insisted that “forage legumes like alfalfa contribute greatly to the objectives of the common agricultural policy (CAP) and EU environment policy in combating climate change, enhancing biodiversity and protecting water and soil”. He added that “there are therefore major benefits to be had from boosting the EU's own supply of protein crops including forage legumes in order to increase stability on commodity markets. Research into the forage legumes sector to improve its competitiveness in a low-carbon economy as well as plant genetics needs to be stepped up”. He believes that farmers must also be allowed to grow forage legumes on areas deemed to be ecological focus areas (EFAs) under the new CAP. (LC/transl.fl)