Peter Callanan (Fianna Fail)

I support requests for the Minister for Agriculture and Food to come to the House to discuss various agricultural matters. Senator Hanafin referred to the demise of the beet crop. It was self-evident that Greencore would kill off the sector and the company should not be congratulated on its success in doing so. It is, however, a fact of life.

Senator Bradford raised the serious issue of cereal growing and tillage crops. The development and growth of this sector is at high risk. Notwithstanding the important national issues of beet and cereal growing, we must ask what is the European Union's policy on future food production. Europe is in deficit production in most aspects of food. From time to time, we discuss poverty, food shortages and people dying in various parts of Africa and elsewhere. The European Union, a group of countries which has agreed the Common Agricultural Policy, is effectively dismantling food production. The Continent needs food production which was the primary product of the Treaty of Rome. It is important, therefore, that the Minister debates the issue in the House.

Last December I called on the Minister to come before the House to discuss alternative land use. A framework must be established for alternative land use because we need land for food and energy.