The Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan Should Be Oriented More to the North: Analysis and Synthesis of the Manifestos of the Farmer Civic Movements in the Northern Region ^†

Abstract

Farmers are an important and fundamental professional class on which the food, health and well-being of all citizens depend. Recently, and similar to what has happened in other European countries, in Portugal there were also demonstrations of civic and spontaneous movements of farmers dissatisfied with the current Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (PEPAC), with the excessive bureaucracy and with the increase in the costs of production and unfair competition from agricultural products from other countries, especially from outside the European bloc, which do not meet the same production requirements and which are available to consumers. This work consists of a synthesis and reflection on the reasons, arguments and demands made by civic movements of farmers in the northern region of Portugal (NUT II). Among the most frequent allegations was the need to consider specific aspects of the northern Portuguese region, small family farming and some specific sectors. Although the factor that triggered farmers’ indignation was the reduction in support payable under eco-schemes, the consideration of the common land areas for subsidies and for certification in organic farming (in the mountain region), the installation of anti-hail towers in the fruit growing area and compensation for increases in energy and animal feeding costs are among the most frequently mentioned reasons for which farmers require answers.

1. Introduction

In a period of pandemic (January 2020 and May 2023) and the context of war in Ukraine since February 2022, with an impact on the prices of production factors and agricultural products, the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for 2023–2027, with application starting in January 2023, was seen early on as a reinforcement of fair, sustainable and competitive agriculture that was considered greener.

In October 2023, discontented European farmers started their protests against the new CAP (2023–2027), first in the south of France (Occitania), spreading to the rest of the country and moving on to other Member States such as Poland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain and Portugal [1,2]. This discontent and unrest may well be associated with a regional development trap (decline in economic growth, employment and productivity relative to their neighborhood regions) leading to the increase in Eurosceptic parties [3].

Reflection on the reasons for these protests, particularly those relating to the regional reality of the NUT II north of Portugal, was based on the interpretation of manifestoes and information conveyed by civic movements of farmers and then om analyzing, synthesizing, interpreting and decoding the reasons and origins of the problems that led them to hold demonstrations in February 2024.

Independent of agricultural organizations, the civic movements of farmers brought to the streets hundreds of farmers dissatisfied with the first steps of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (PEPAC). This plan began to be implemented at the beginning of 2023 and up to the end of the year, few answers were given to the problems of agricultural professionals. For the farmers, the PEPAC did not consider the specificities of the northern Portuguese region, small farmers, family farming, mountain farming and sectors experiencing cash flow difficulties or in need of investment.

2. Methodology

The proposed theme has a strong empirical component, so the information used (television reports, farmer movement manifestos, magazine/newspaper articles and opinion articles) was analyzed, synthesized, interpreted and decoded to build a plan that makes it possible to satisfy the farmers demands and their movements and maintain the essential course set by the PEPAC.

The objectives of carrying out this work were to synthesize and reflect on the reasons, arguments and demands made by the civic movements of farmers in the north region, who expressed their dissatisfaction with the current PAC (2023–2027). It should be noted that the focus of analysis is on occurrences recorded only in the NUT II north of Portugal, as these cover specific aspects of regional agriculture and are important for CCDR Norte to incorporate into CAP review proposals. However, the interpretation of the facts is transversal to regions and Member States, given that the main arguments come from the rules imposed above all by Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021.

In the analyzed period, four farmers protests occurred in the northern region, one on February 2nd (Lamego) with about 300 farmers [4], two on February 6th (Valença and Vila Real) with about 200 farmers each [5,6], and one on February 7th (Macedo de Cavaleiros/ Carrazeda de Ansiães) with 300 farmers [4].

3. Results and Discussion

The cut in support for eco-schemes was the reason for the greatest discontent expressed by Portuguese farmers. However, this reason was often associated with increased production costs, which meant that many farms had their economic viability called into question (

Table 1. Aggregation of the reasons presented and summary of the origin of the problems.

Reasons	Source of the Problem
Cuts in subsidies	Reduction in payments for agri-environmental measures
Decrease in profitability	Increase in production costs (fuel, energy and animal feed)
Excessive bureaucracy	Increased requirements in animal registration and health
Excessive bureaucracy	Need to fill out field notebooks
Excessive bureaucracy	Difficulties in obtaining activity licensing
Excessive environmental demands	Increase in environmental rules with Farm to Fork and Green Deal
Subsidies and eligibility	Reduction in the eligibility of common land areas for CAP support
Subsidies and eligibility	Allocation of support based on surface area, which is damaging for small farms
Subsidies and eligibility	Need for support to implement anti-hail towers (Carrazeda de Ansiães)
Lack of market regulation	Value chain with unfair valuation of primary production
Lack of renewal of human capital	Low attractiveness of human resources for the sector
Unfair competition	Entry of competing products from outside the EU that do not respect the same rules

Source: [1,2,4,5,6,7,8].

). Without the ability to increase the prices of agricultural products, and with margins already strangled by distribution and the reduction in consumer purchasing power, the cuts in direct support were, for many farmers, the overflowing of the cup.

Unfair competition and lack of market regulation: One of the aspects most mentioned by farmers and even publicly recognized by the Prime Minister of the XXIV Constitutional Government lies in the entry of agricultural products from outside the European Union, which do not comply with the same agricultural production rules and workers’ conditions and rights. Part of the problem with these products entering the market is the lack of regulation and the ease and economic interest of agri-food distribution and retail companies in acquiring these agricultural products in other geographies. Still regarding market regulation, farmers demand a greater balance of margins between production and distribution, reflecting in a more equitable and fair way the distribution of value, among all operators in the agri-food chains, and favoring dignified remuneration for farmers, for the goods they produce and the ecosystem services they provide.

Eligibility and cuts subsidies: Given the need for a more regionalized PEPAC, farmers, especially those who practice agriculture in mountain areas and small family farms, consider the distribution of support unfair, stating that their farms do not fit into the measures created and that they receive little or no benefit from the CAP. They emphasize that their agricultural production systems fall within environmentally friendly production systems, but due to the rules currently in force, they are not eligible for support. Regarding reasons associated with support, the main factor that triggered farmers’ discontent was due to the cut in eco-schemes, namely organic farming (35%) and integrated production (25%), and delays in payment deadlines. The INE (2023) highlights a sharp decrease in other production subsidies (–47.3%) related to the payment schedule, which would last until June 2024.

Decrease in profitability: Farmers strongly emphasize that they continue to sell their products at low prices and that consumers purchase them in markets and large supermarkets at significantly higher prices. At the same time, production costs have increased (especially energy, fertilizers and concentrated food for cattle), unbalancing the treasury of their farms and putting at risk the livelihood and dignified life of them and their families.

Excessive environmental demands: The strategy associated with the European Ecological Pact (Green Deal), which aims at an ecological transition with the objectives of reducing CO₂ emissions by 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and decarbonization by 2050, is contested by farmers who feel unfairly compared to other more polluting sectors, namely industry and transport, and have greater support for the ecological transition. As Rodríguez-Pose and Bartalucci (2023) [9] suggest, some regions are more exposed than others to the major shifts prompted by the Green Deal.

Lack of renewal of human capital: The renewal of human capital is associated with two aspects, on the one hand the attractiveness of the profession for young people and the necessary support for the installation of young farmers, on the other the valorization of the sector in society and the role of agriculture in supplying goods for consumption essential to human life and health.

Actions and Changes Introduced to Satisfy Demands

Between March 7th and April 8th, the European Commission invited farmers to respond to a survey on the administrative simplification of the CAP, in order to identify the sources of administrative burden and complexity arising from the rules, as well as other rules applicable to food and agriculture. Results were expected to be published by October 2024, clarifying the sources of complexity for farmers.

As this is a problem that affects a fundamental issue for society, human nutrition, the Government is committed to the stability of supplies and prices of agricultural products, simultaneously with the adaptation of national plans to initiatives and European strategies on agriculture, the environment, climate change and living and working conditions. It is natural that there will be new and rapid developments on the topic, and in this sense, new and important actions and solutions may emerge after the conclusion of this work.

After the meetings of the farmer civic movements and until the end of the mandate of the XXIII Constitutional Government, some actions and changes were implemented to respond to their demands (

Table 2. Actions and changes introduced.

Reason	Action/Change
Excessive environmental demands	Partial derogation from the rules on fallow land (BCAA 8 standard)
Decrease in profitability	Credit line with subsidized interest of EUR 100 million (Treasury Line–agricultural sector) to support treasury costs to finance activity
Cuts in subsidies	Changes to payments for agri-environmental measures and eco-schemes, reinforcement of EUR 60 million
Inaccessibility to subsidies	Creation of a “Temporary Compensation Measure” to boost farmers’ access to eco-schemes
Lack of market regulation	Meeting of the Platform for Monitoring Relations in the Agro-Food Chain (PARCA) 22 March 2024

).

4. Conclusions

Farmers, like what other professionals demand on the streets (teachers, doctors, nurses, security forces, etc.), want in the present context and time an improvement in their living and working conditions, with justice and a decent income. It is curious and welcomed that the spontaneous civic farmers movements, created from informal groups and organized through social networks in favor of a common good, organized themselves and raised public awareness and that of the government, placing the topic of agriculture and the rural world on the media agenda.

At a time when Portugal was in a pre-electoral campaign phase, without resorting to the organizations that represent them, these civic movements of farmers had a prominent and negotiating position, presenting directly to the Minister, who heard and sought to respond to their aspirations.

The environmental, social and economic importance of agriculture in Portugal, with the occupation of around 40% of the territory, a gross added value of 1.7% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and an agricultural population that represents 5.7% of the resident population [10], goes far beyond these numbers; it constitutes security for independence and sovereignty, a pillar of its cultural identity and indispensable interconnection with other sectors.