The last two years have seen a major shake-up of the Common Agricultural Policy. The main thrust of the reforms is a move away from production-based and towards area-based payments. Farmers are eligible for area based payments provided they observe certain minimum agricultural and environmental management practices.
In theory this shift in emphasis should help shape a more extensified, more sustainable form of farm. While it is still too early to assess what the true impacts will be, various bodies have undertaken analyses as to the likely effects. See for example the IEEP MEACAP report mentioned above in General Climate Policy Analysis.
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