Co-op mergers and family farming structures are ‘vital’ for the future

Co-op mergers and maintaining family farm structures are vital to the future of European farming, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney told his EU farming ministers at a meeting yesterday in Lithuania.

Mr Coveney described family farms as “the heartbeat of EU farming structures”.

He expressed his strong support for the maintenance of family farms, but said he also wants the status quo to be maintained in terms of the CAP reform.