EC agricultural policy and land use: Milk quotas and the need for a new approach

Abstract

This Viewpoint argues that although recent innovations in the CAP, specifically milk quotas, have been successful in containing output and budgetary expenditure, they have not addressee the underlying problem of intensification — increasing output per hectare. Fundamental reform of the Common Agricultural Policy must take account of two things — the unacceptability of European Community surpluses being ‘dumped’ onto world markets, and the environmental impact of modern farming. Implicitly, other of the Article 39 objectives may have to be accorded a lower priority.