Five former Labour ministers have called for the abolition of European farming subsidies.

They claim the policy worsens global poverty and costs British families £7 billion a year.

Forum Brief: National Farmers Union

A spokesman for the NFU said: "Any balanced analysis of the CAP should mention its benefits as well as its costs.

"Not only has the CAP been instrumental in securing EU food supply, especially of traditional foods, but it has also been a major factor in the maintenance of the countryside and rural communities.

"Keeping rural land in good condition is an important objective, and CAP support has in the past significantly helped farmers to make a living as well.

"The radical reform the article calls for has already been agreed. The criticisms outlined appear to relate to the 'old' CAP before the Fischler reform agreed in 2003 (for implementation from 2005 onwards).

"The new CAP will remove the incentive to overproduction, gives national governments much greater flexibility, delivers compliance on animal welfare and environmental standards, and is in line with WTO obligations to our international trading partners, both rich and poor.

"The NFU has been a major influence behind this re-orientation of the CAP, leading the pro-reform group of the EU’s farmers.

"There is some outstanding business regarding CAP reform, for example in the dairy and sugar sectors, and the NFU will continue to make a constructive contribution to the policy making process with policy makers to ensure implementation of reforms which will serve the interests of both consumers and farmers.

"The EU, strongly supported by the British government, has been taking significant steps to make sure producers in poor countries benefit from international trade as well. Under the Everything but Arms (EBA) initiative for example, the EU has opened its markets to imports of agricultural products from 49 of the world's least developed countries."

Forum Response: Countryside Alliance

Sarah Lee, Countryside Alliance spokeswoman, said:"The Countryside Alliance supports this move as we feel agriculture needs to be market driven rather than subsidy driven.

"Subsidies have long distorted the free market and moving to a CAP-free agricultural sector will have numerous benefits. A market driven industry will encourage free trade with the developing world, which is to be encouraged as it will enable development and halt worsening global poverty.

"The Countryside Alliance supports the abolishment of the export subsidy as this again distorts the market."