Patersons backs Cull and GM

The Oxford Farming Conference is often claimed to set the agenda for the coming farming year.  If this is true then, aside from the weather, the main topics for 2013 look like being the cull of badgers, CAP reform and GM crops. 

The headline speaker was DEFRA Secretary, Owen Paterson, speaking at his first Oxford Conference.  He appeared to have good news for those who thought that political backing for the trial cull of badgers was weakening following its postponement in the autumn.  Mr Paterson was adamant that the culls would happen in the summer.  To further show the government’s commitment to the cull he told the conference that a project board had already been set up which included members from DEFRA, NFU, Natural England and the Police to ensure the culls go ahead

He also gave strong backing to biotechnology, including genetically modified crops.  He stated thatthe ‘case needed to be made’ for GM, and that DEFRA would be part of this.  Adding to the pro-GM theme was a presentation by environmentalist Mark Lynas who explained why he had changed from being an anti-GM activist to now being in favour of the technology.

The difficulties in agreeing CAP reform during 2013 were laid bare, with differing views on where policy should be heading from Owen Paterson and Mairead McGuiness from the Irish Republic.  The DEFRA Secretary’s speech has come in for much criticism on this point as he stuck dogmatically to the line that direct support needed to be phased out.  Although Mr Patterson said he was busy ‘building alliances’ with other Member States to get the UK’s arguments heard, it seems unlikely that he will find too many takers for the somewhat fundamentalist approach he is advocating.