Agricultural subsidies have 'limited positive impact on environmental goals'
Most support measures for agriculture in Flanders have a “limited estimated positive contribution” to environmental objectives, a study by Ghent University shows.
Commissioned by environmental organisation Bond Beter Leefmilieu, the researchers examined agricultural support in relation to the environment, biodiversity and the climate.
According to the report, a total of 423 million euros in support was paid out in 2023 under the common agricultural policy in Flanders. Around 316 million euros went directly to farmers and 107 million indirectly.
Income support
“Policy coherence analysis shows that the most extensive support measures have a rather limited estimated positive contribution to the environmental objectives, whereas less support was paid out through those measures with a higher estimated positive contribution,” the report says.
“The relative aid paid out through the various measures is therefore not consistent with the achievement of the various European environmental objectives.”
"A shift towards results-based support could contribute more effectively to income security for farmers and achieving environmental objectives"
The most important measure is basic income support, which accounts for 118 million euros. The bulk of the support goes to dairy farms, arable farms, mixed farms and meat farms.
Researchers found that the system of providing income support based on the amount of land owned results in “highly unequal distribution of aid” unrelated to the actual need for income support. Support can thus unintentionally contribute to rising land prices and make access to land more difficult.
Starting point
“A shift towards results-based support, whereby farmers are compensated for achieving environmental results, could contribute more effectively to both income security for farmers and the achievement of environmental objectives,” the report says.
While the researchers call for caution in interpreting the analysis due to methodological limitations including sample size, they say the results can be a starting point for further research and policy work.
Flemish Agriculture minister Jo Brouns says the study shows that “there is obviously still room for improvement”, but “it confirms that Flanders has already taken significant steps in recent years”.
Farmers who participate in the common agricultural policy are bound by “very strict compliance with good agricultural and environmental conditions”, he said.
"Flanders has already taken significant steps in recent years"
“The detailed figures in this study will finally enable our politicians to make targeted choices,” Sofie Bracke of Bond Beter Leefmilieu said. “Flanders spends 423 million euros of taxpayers’ money on agricultural subsidies every year. This study shows that only a very small proportion of this money improves the health of the environment.”
#FlandersNewsService | Illustration © PHOTO NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
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