Brussels, 05/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - By adopting (as emergency, as requested by the Council) the report by the French Green Danielle Auroi on a draft amendment to the regime on the farming of arable crops, on Thursday, the European Parliament called for more ambition in the European Commission's strategy aimed at allowing certain farmers to be exempted from the legislation on land set-aside and be to grow leguminous fodder (clover, beans, etc.) (see EUROPE of 4 April, p.13). The rapid adoption of this report allowed for this measure to be dissociated from Mr. Fischler's package as a whole, package aimed at responding to the BSE crisis. The changes to this regulation should thus take effect as soon as possible and allow for a harvest after 15 August 2001. The Agriculture Council should adopt this proposal at its next session.
Like most Member States (see EUROPE of 30 March, p.14), MEPs would like this measure not only to be reserved solely for farms converted to organic farming but that it be extended to all farming of high-protein crops intended for animal fodder. The EP recommends that traditional farms devoted to rural development measures as well as cattle farmers be concerned. "Extending the possibility of growing leguminous fodder (..) would be a first step in improving the supply in Europe of high-protein crops. This would prove an obstacle to the import of soya meal which is often genetically modified", says the EP, thereby rekindling the debate on "protein deficit, cause of the mad cow crisis".