Farmers’ protests are about to be resumed. However, the government has an ace up its sleeve and it has just used it

– The Council of Ministers decided to adopt a study defining the entire aid plan for Polish farmers. Assistance related to the effects of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the effects of changes that affected the Polish market in connection with this war, in particular the wide opening of customs borders, EU borders, Polish borders, the inflow of excessive amounts of grain from Ukraine, destabilization of the Polish market. We are still experiencing the effects of the events that took place over the last two years, said Jan Grabiec, head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

Farmers’ protest. The government has adopted a regulation that is intended to help

The purpose of the regulation is – as Jan Grabiec said – to protect farmers against “the effects of these negative changes and serves to ensure that the excess grain that is still in warehouses and with Polish farmers, in companies that store grain, to prevent this excess from being harvest, was exported. Support for farmers is to be financed from the Aid Funds.

This is an ad hoc and transitional solution, intended to remove the surplus of grain from the Polish market and is expected to operate in the coming weeks and months.

– said Grabiec.

Changes to the Green Deal. The European Parliament supported the EC’s proposals

The European Parliament supported the adjustments to the Green Deal proposed by the Commission in mid-March. Brussels then bowed to the protests spreading across Europe. Farmers will be exempt from some of the strict environmental requirements and administrative burdens will be reduced. This is important information also for Polish farmers.

What exactly are the changes? First of all, the obligation to set fallow land is abolished – even if farmers do not exclude 4 percent of their land from cultivation, they will still receive direct EU subsidies. However, there will be incentives – farmers who voluntarily decide to set aside farms will be able to receive additional financial support.

There are also changes when it comes to winter soil cover. Member States will have more freedom to determine when exactly it will apply. The Commission will not impose rigid periods. The farmer will also not be obliged to rotate crops. This will make it easier for farmers affected by drought or excessive rainfall to meet the requirements. There is also an exemption for small farms with an area of ​​less than 10 hectares from inspections and penalties related to compliance with environmental standards. This will significantly reduce the administrative burden of inspections. In Poland, over 70 percent of farms are under 10 hectares.

Moreover, the work of the Presidential Commission for Agriculture and Rural Areas has started on the proposal to change the Green Deal, which will be presented to the new European Commission (after the June elections to the European Parliament). The Chairman of the Council, Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, explained that the Commission’s task is to clarify farmers’ expectations. He added that this concerns, among other things, Europe’s food security. In his opinion, Brussels’ actions, under the pretext of climate protection, are destroying European agriculture. He said that the protection of European consumers while reducing European agriculture is to be food imported by large international corporations from areas outside the EU. “We believe that the basis for feeding European society should be its own agriculture,” he emphasized.

This is an initiative of President Andrzej Duda. Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski said that, according to the president, Poland should use its presidency of the EU next year to carry out reforms in the EU agricultural policy. Farmers announced the resumption of protests on May 10.