The Labor Party, the Center Party and the Socialist Left Party secure a majority for this year’s agricultural settlement, says a press release from the three parties. The agricultural agreement that the parties agreed on in mid-May had a total framework of NOK 4.15 billion. The farmers originally demanded NOK 6.9 billion. SV believed that this year’s settlement was not good enough. Now Ap, Sp and SV have gathered around three proposals which will be presented to the Storting when the matter comes up for consideration on 12 June. This is what the parties agree on: During consideration in the Business Committee, the Labor Party, Sp and SV agreed to put forward the following proposal: The Storting asks the government to ensure Norwegian food preparedness and Norwegian food production through well-functioning customs protection, and that the government in the state budget for 2024 move from krone to percentage customs for single product to ensure this. The Storting asks the government, in dialogue with the trade unions, to present a strategy for increased self-sufficiency and safe food production based on Norwegian resources, and to return to the Storting at the latest in connection with the national budget. The Storting asks the government, in dialogue with professional associations, to investigate how the use of computer maps can ensure greater precision in the allocation of grant funds and to target area grants towards areas that are fallow, such as a dough-based grant. The investigation must be ready before the ordinary agricultural negotiations in 2024. Strengthened self-sufficiency Per Vidar Kjølmoen, agricultural policy spokesperson in the Labor Party, believes the agricultural agreement strengthens Norwegian agriculture. Kjølmoen highlights the income development for Norwegian farmers. He also says that agricultural policy is particularly important in light of the Total Preparedness Commission’s report. – Both the Labor Party, the Center Party and SV have been keen to look ahead and contribute to increasing self-sufficiency, i.e. increasing Norway’s ability to take care of its own citizens should there be disruptions with food imports. AGREEMENT: – We have an agreement between the three parties together now, that we will vote for the agricultural settlement as the parties have negotiated an agreement on, says Per Vidar Kjølmoen, agricultural policy spokesperson in the Labor Party. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen SV’s agricultural policy spokesperson Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes says it has been crucial for the party to strengthen Norwegian self-sufficiency. – The development has been extremely negative. Now we are finally getting a boost in customs protection, and it is a big step in the direction of a turnaround in Norwegian agricultural policy. According to Fylkesnes, the government must now come up with a strategy for increased self-sufficiency. This is what Fylkesnes believes is important for Norwegian security. – Overall, this is a settlement that we can vouch for. CRISIS: – Agriculture is in crisis, and climate change and global unrest means that we need more, not less, Norwegian food production, says SV’s agricultural policy spokesperson Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN Closing the income gap The agricultural agreement facilitates an increase in income of NOK 111,000 per man-year for farmers. The amount is to reduce the gap between the income of the farmer and other occupational groups. – I am happy that we have reached an agreement that strengthens the income base for the country’s food producers and increased self-sufficiency for the country. It has been important for the Center Party, says Per Olav Tyldum, spokesperson for agricultural policy in Sp. ANNUAL NEGOTIATIONS: The agricultural settlement takes place through annual negotiations between the State and two organizations in agriculture, the Norwegian Farmers’ Association and the Norwegian Farmers’ and Small Farmers’ Association. This year, for the first time, the agreement has been concluded between the state and just one organisation, the Norwegian Farmers’ Association, after the agricultural organizations could not agree on a common demand. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim / news Responds – “Up like a lion, down like a skinfold”, is the best summary of SV’s settlement with the governing parties regarding this year’s agricultural settlement. That’s what Venstre’s business policy spokesperson, Alfred Bjørlo, says in a comment on today’s agreement between Ap, Sp and SV in this year’s agricultural settlement. – Now SV chooses in practice to bless the Center Party’s old-fashioned solutions instead of fighting for a new and better agricultural policy, he says. BAD NEWS: The Liberal Party’s business policy spokesperson, Alfred Bjørlo, believes that today’s agreement is bad news for Norwegian agriculture and for Norwegian climate and environmental policy. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB Spokesperson in the SV, Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes, does not understand the criticism. – Only last year did we put in place a decision that we should start an escalation plan, now we are getting a decision in place that there should be increased self-sufficiency and a separate plan for that. In addition, we get to protect agriculture. Then the new course in agricultural policy really begins to take shape, says Fylkesnes. Geir Jørgensen, agricultural policy spokesperson in Rødt, believes the agricultural agreement should have gone further in closing the income gap between farmers and others. – The Labor Party and the Center Party still need all the help they can get from the opposition to deliver on the most important agricultural promises: to raise farmers’ income to the level of other comparable occupational groups, and to increase self-sufficiency. IT IS URGENT: – The Total Preparedness Commission shows us that an increased degree of self-sufficiency is essential for Norway’s preparedness, and with increased unrest and climate change, it is more urgent than ever to increase the production of food in Norway, says Geir Jørgensen, spokesperson for agricultural policy in Rødt. Photo: Mats Rønning Party leader in KrF and former Minister of Agriculture Olaug Bollestad is happy that the agreement between agriculture and the state has received a majority in the Storting. – When only a quarter of farmers want to recommend young people to start food production, I am told that the Conservative Party wants to reduce the amount in the agricultural agreement. KrF wants a predictable agriculture that more young people want to go into. That is why we vote for the agreement that agriculture has signed. REQUIRE A STEP-UP PLAN: – Now the next step is for the government to deliver a step-up plan for agriculture. They have promised it for over 2 years, but it will never come, says party leader in KrF and former Minister of Agriculture Olaug Bollestad. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
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The governing parties agree with SV on the agricultural settlement 2023 – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
