THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING THE REFORMED COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY (CAP) TO THE FARMERS

It is very important to communicate to the general public the multifunctional role of EU farmers which goes beyond food production. Farmers play an important role in conserving our common natural heritage and in many rural areas they continue to be the economic heartbeat. This must be done for the following purposes: the need to better respond to market opportunities; emphasizing that the reformed CAP has strengthened the EU farmers' ability to respond to market signals, thereby giving the EU an opportunity to strengthen its supply of food at a time of higher food prices and help to alleviate the concerns about food security in some parts of the World; the simplification and better targeting of the direct support to fanners; the strengthening of the rural development policy to respond to new challenges, mainly related to climate change, water management, renewable energy and biodiversity.