What if the landlords speak? Elisa Plumed
Hot social networks got when last March 28 eldiario.es published the article “The EU delivers 250 million in farm subsidies between 60 wealthy Spaniards”. Tweets, retweets, comments, reviews …
The report noted that “among the wealthiest families in Spain, eldiario.es has identified at least 60 who have received European subsidies through various enterprises and companies since 2008”.
Mora Figueroa Domecq or Elías Hernández Barrera and family are some representatives of the landed aristocracy charged direct aid from the CAP. The same applies to companies such as Mercadona, Nutrexpa, Leche Pascual or El Pozo, according eldiario.es “have also been generous beneficiaries of grants”; (Mainly because years ago they invested in land or livestock to produce and control themselves part of their products).
The digital newspaper explains that this is because of something we have very clear who are dedicated to this issue of agriculture: direct CAP subsidies are tied to the land. So-and even in Brussels have wanted to put a ceiling on these supports, without any, success is logical and normal that those who have hectares, charge more. So they say the current rules of the CAP. Another thing is it advisable to modify and set a ceiling or “capping”, as has already been tried on several occasions.
Such a report is presented under the heading of “data” and explains how information is achieved through two main sources: the Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund, FEGA, (where you can find, since last year, who the beneficiaries of the CAP and what amounts) and the ranking of the 200 richest in Spain compiled by the newspaper El Mundo.
Not that put me in favor of the landowners, but I think because it is a story of investigative journalism and data could have given a more complete picture if it had deepened and answered questions like how many workers employed and few rural families maintain agricultural enterprises of the landlords? What made annual expenditure on inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, machinery and how it affects the economy of the area? What net profit obtained from these agricultural enterprises (even with the aid of the CAP)? That benefit, is more or less than other non-agricultural businesses that have?
The work would have been much harder and complex, a real journalistic challenge, but had reflected the two sides of the coin: what are the landlords of the CAP and how are economic returns give rural society.
“No PAC for gentlemen”
If social networks were burned with the previous report, to me it warmed me days after the article “No PAC for gentlemen” also published in eldiario. is.
The article signed by a deputy and MEP EQUO, begins well, but it shows who are a little confused when they begin to present their “basic proposals” for a more just, equitable and sustainable CAP.
First they want to “Allocate aid to agriculture and livestock farming, extensive and relatives, and in favor of common goods and food sovereignty.” On the one hand, the CAP is increasingly “greener”, and secondly, organic production is only part of the market that, so far, is directed to the citizens of higher incomes, because they are the only ones that can pay.
They believe that we must “work for a change in the system of payments for historical rights and implement other basic rights by assigning payments area”. Mr. Molina and Marcellesi: that is the aid per hectare, and precisely why still charging more who have more land! Why propose something that is already being done?
They also say “bet on the convergence of progressive and distributive form of the amount received per hectare in all EU member states”. Here are right: Minister Arias Canete declined to pursue the convergence of the CAP in Spain, when well seen from Brussels and, sooner or later, will have to run in our country. Now the handsome / a need to set it up, you roll up your sleeve, because the liar will brown because it is nothing other than the “flat rate” and many will oppose.
The article continues with other points open to debate, but what I already swollen vein is talk of “peasants” as one of the actors in the sector. ¿Campesinos? With what it has cost us many insist that farmers have to be professional, agricultural entrepreneurs learn to manage your farm as a business!
In short, if the first story makes the ordinary citizen cry out to heaven, the second achieves the same effect in the Spanish agricultural sector.
So we were tied.
Elisa Plumed, food journalist and blogger lacriba.net
