Federal Minister of Agriculture, Alois Rainer (CSU), praised the proposals put forward by European Parliament Rapporteur Norbert Lins (CDU) regarding the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), describing them as a “right signal.” Importantly, Rainer explicitly welcomed the continued demand to maintain the existing Two-Pillar structure.
Rainer argued that removing rural development from the CAP is akin to taking a load-bearing pillar out of a house, causing the entire structure to become unstable. He stated, “Agriculture is the local economy. It secures our supply, jobs, and value creation in our regions-something we cannot jeopardize by weakening the CAP.” To simplify the matter, he summarized: “A strong CAP requires two adequately financed pillars.”
The minister also welcomed the suggestions that initial hectares would be better accommodated in future plans, and that young and new farmers would receive increased support. The CSU politician explained that the future viability of agriculture depends not least on successfully managing the transition of generations. He concluded that strong, competitive farms serve as the foundation of our food supply and represent a core element of Europe’s strategic independence.
