Freedom from food (1971)

From the August 1971 issue of the Socialist Standard

Earlier this year the Common Market adopted a new farm policy which involves reducing the number of small farmers and concentrating agricultural production in a smaller number of larger and more efficient farms. European Community, the English-language version of the Common Market's information journal, carried in its June issue "A Pictorial Guide to Farm Reform" which frankly describes one aspect of this policy:

‘‘Those who remain on the land are being encouraged to acquire not only larger but also economically more viable holdings. They can, for example, be granted rebates on interest payments to enable them to invest in land and machinery. Groups of agricultural experts will advise them on modernization measures. In this way it is hoped to bring farmers’ earnings on a par with those in industry.

“But these more efficient farms should not over-produce. Therefore about 15 million acres (the total land surface of the Netherlands and Belgium) of the 75 million acres that could become available as some farmers left should not be cultivated, but used for afforestation and recreation (e.g. national parks) Obviously, these 15 million acres would have to be the least fertile".