In the European Parliament elections in June, change must be achieved in the interests of farmers, as Brussels’ agricultural policy is jeopardizing the future of European farmers and food security in the EU, said Hungarian Minister of Agriculture Istvan Nagy. Speaking at a press conference in Budapest on May 22, Nagy emphasized that his government’s policy is designed to ensure that every farmer has the opportunity to develop. Hungary will represent the interests of farmers and consumers, when Budapest takes over the EU rotating presidency for a half-year on July 1, Assistant Agriculture Minister Szolt Feldman said May 23 at the Portfolio Agrofuture 2024 conference in Kecskemét.
Minister Nagy charged that the current EU leadership in Brussels is dominated by extreme green ideologies that hinder competitiveness and also run counter to the interests of consumers. Effective and credible lobbying is particularly important now, as farmers throughout Europe are protesting against being cheated by Brussels. The chairman of the National Chamber of Agriculture would represent Hungarian farmers in the European Parliament from June, as Balázs Győrffy had been elected on the Fidesz-KDNP list, Nagy said, stressing that Hungarian farmers could count on the head of the organization as a reliable partner in Brussels. Europe can only be successful if it returns to cooperation between nation states based on mutual respect, but that requires new representatives in Brussels
According to Balázs Győrffy, EU agricultural policy is a “dead end, a misguided experiment” that should never have been started. In Hungary, the network of village farmers had to be expanded because the new EU regulations have significantly increased the administrative burden on farmers. Europe needs more competitive production and we need to send representatives to Brussels who will stand up for the interests of farmers and not for “dark green ideologies.”
