Farmer incomes to be prioritised by EU in current term, expert predicts

Incentives and rewards will favour over-regulation to achieve environmental improvements on farms

Alan Matthews predicted the rightward political shift will favour farm income over environmental objectives.

Veteran EU-watcher Alan Matthews has predicted farmer incomes will be prioritised in the new EU political cycle, and incentives and rewards will be used, rather than regulation, to achieve environmental improvements on farms.

Farmers will also welcome his prediction of an EU commitment to the French proposal that prices paid to farmers for their produce should be linked to production costs.