New food and agriculture policy

A Socialist Party (Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands) meeting held on July 4th adopted the following policy on food and agriculture:

The Socialist Party of Iceland (Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands) wants agriculture to be redefined and a national consensus sought on what it entails and the value of the sector for the country's sustainability. This work will be carried out in close cooperation with farmers as well as residents of lands where farming of any kind is practiced.

Farming means, in addition to animal husbandry and crop cultivation; the protection and cultivation of animals and plants, the production and processing of food, and the practice of numerous other related fields such as land reclamation, forestry, utilization of waters, wild plants, and animals.

When revising the agricultural system, a land-use map or framework plan will be used, which is also based on the detailed and general plans of each municipality and in cooperation with it. The location will also be considered regarding food security, both in terms of natural resources, resources, and the country's sustainability in food procurement and production. If one part of the country is cut off due to disasters, it must be possible to obtain necessary food elsewhere. Food prices will also be affordable for the general public.

Emphasis in agriculture will always be placed on organic farming to ensure the health of humans and animals and a shorter value chain with a view to reducing the carbon footprint. Close attention should also be paid to animal welfare monitoring, keeping all drug and chemical use to a minimum, and shortening the distances traveled by animals for slaughter as much as possible, for example, with mobile slaughterhouses.

The conditions of farmers shall be improved, and they shall be recognized as the important part of the nation's vanguard that they truly are, to ensure food security and sustainability. Innovation grants for farmers shall also be increased, and favorable loans for projects, innovation, and new entrants shall be offered.

Mutual respect between producers/farmers and users/consumers should be promoted, among other things, by increasing general knowledge of the value of good food. Good ingredient descriptions on all food shall be ensured, and opportunities for organic production shall be increased. To ensure food safety, producers and transporters shall have access to good education, and products shall always be marked with detailed ingredient descriptions and quality expiration dates.

The agricultural system shall also be made fairer and more flexible regarding fees for certificates, such as for slaughter and other matters, so that small production units or the traditional "family farm" can survive.

Production units will be reviewed with regard to environmental protection, and the incentive for farms to become too large will be reduced. The operating environment for cooperative farms of two or more individuals will be supported, and the scale of a medium-sized small business or family farm will be taken into account.

The legal framework surrounding the establishment of cooperatives shall be improved so that the incentive to establish such associations becomes greater. This way, farmers can potentially reduce the impact of intermediaries on pricing and increase their cooperation. No profitability requirement shall be made in the operation of cooperative or ordering associations.

The transfer system with quotas shall be abolished, and quotas shall be linked to residency or a commitment to production, not a commodity that can be speculated with.

Imported food shall be subject to the same rules as domestic food regarding food safety and animal welfare, and thus competitiveness with active monitoring and education, so that domestic production is not undermined and discounts are not given on food safety and quality. To increase diversity in food production and provide farmers with more opportunities, electricity for greenhouse cultivation shall be subsidized where there is plenty of electricity. In addition, all parts of the country shall be ensured adequate electricity, such as three-phase electricity and backup power stations. Ways shall be sought for residents of lands to increase the utilization of all types of environmentally friendly energy from flowing waters, still waters, and in the sea near farms.

It shall be prevented that individuals or companies can accumulate farms and other land for ownership. To this end, restrictions such as residency requirements and number and size limitations on lands and areas shall be applied.

The free-ranging of livestock shall be reduced, among other things, due to the risk of land degradation, and grazing rights on unused lands shall be abolished. The free-ranging of livestock near main roads shall also be reduced where possible to prevent accidents and increase signage along roads for this purpose.

Farmers shall be enabled to engage in farming with other or more activities than the traditional ones, such as land reclamation, forestry, accommodation sales, catering sales, educational and entertainment activities such as zoo operations, fishing and processing of aquatic and marine products where applicable, and the utilization of wild plants and animals.

The emission of greenhouse gases shall be significantly reduced, and wetlands shall be restored throughout the country, and forestry increased in accordance with the environmental and climate policy of the Socialist Party. All avenues shall be explored to ensure the ecosystem's cycle and the circular system function as optimally as possible, for example, by utilizing soil from Sorpa's methane garden, but such processing shall be aimed for throughout the country.

The policy of a clean and healthy environment shall play a key role in agricultural matters in the spirit of circular thinking. Among other things, efforts shall be made to enable producers to produce domestic organic fertilizer and reduce the import of artificial fertilizers. Opportunities to produce domestic concentrated feed shall also be increased, and the import of feed shall be reduced.

The policy of the Socialist Party of Iceland (Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands) on food and agriculture is...

...that a national consensus on agriculture be sought.

...that a land-use map or framework plan for agriculture and land use from shore to mountain throughout the country be created.

...that emphasis be placed on a shorter value chain, environmental protection, animal welfare, sustainability, and organic farming in all agriculture.

...that food security be ensured in Iceland with stable and increased domestic food production and reasonable food prices.

...that farmers be guaranteed decent living and working conditions.

...that increased innovation grants be provided in agriculture with an emphasis on organic farming, and farmers be offered favorable loans for projects.

...that the agricultural system be made fairer and more flexible so that the opportunities for small production units to operate are increased.

...that when revising the agricultural system, animal welfare shall always be held in high regard and ensured that Iceland is at the forefront in this area.

...that an incentive be created to establish cooperatives and ordering associations where it will be possible to buy directly from the farm or for farmers to unite for feed and tool purchases.

...that access to the purchase and sale of food and other farm products in the consumer's local environment be facilitated.

...that the agricultural quota system be reviewed and ensured that it never leads to transfer but that the quota is subject to residency and a commitment to production.

...that supervision of imported food be increased, thereby ensuring the competitiveness of domestic products with imported ones. Food safety shall also be ensured through active monitoring and education.

...that a discount on electricity for greenhouse cultivation be provided.

...that people and companies be prevented from accumulating farms and other land for ownership by imposing residency requirements or other restrictions.

...that the free-ranging of livestock be conditional and the land degradation it entails be stopped.

...that forestry and land reclamation be significantly increased and transferred to more hands.

...that the use of pesticides and patented seeds in agriculture and road construction be completely prohibited, and plant and animal health monitoring always be well maintained to ensure food safety.