Small farmers are the backbone of Romania. Nearly a third of the population depends on subsistence or semi-subsistence farming. Traditional farming keeps the culture alive and ensures a diverse, healthy environment.
However, a series of overbearing government moves in the name of one ideology or another has put enormous pressure on the nation’s small farmers. Communism and its collective farms might be a thing of the past but now Romania has a government besotted with capitalism and the EU's one-size-fits-all agricultural policy.
The Romanian government is denying EU assistance to subsistence farmers, preferring to send funds in the direction of big agribusiness.
Other countries have already discovered that big agriculture has a devastating social and environmental impact. Tell Romania to focus on sustainability and look after its small farmers before it is too late.
We the undersigned ask that you support small-hold farmers rather than diverting funding to big agriculture.
Nearly a third of the country’s population depends upon subsistence or near-subsistence farming and looking after Romania’s people, not foreign business, should be the government’s priority. Furthermore, small farmers form an essential part of the economy and keep alive cultural traditions.
The farming techniques are easier on the environment and promote a richer biodiversity than the destructive, short-term techniques of large-scale commercial agriculture.
Rather than looking for some short-term profit, we ask that you fulfil your responsibilities in looking after Romania’s people, environment and long-term future by supporting small farmers, not allowing big agriculture to drive them out of business.
We ask that you both use funding to support small-holders and introduce restraints on large biotech companies, not allow them to do practically anything they want.
Thank you for your attention.
