The running theme of Iceland’s political debate this spring is whether the EU membership application should be withdrawn, as the current government is proposing, or whether a national referendum should be held to decide how to proceed.
This is certainly not what the anti-EU government favors. The discussion about the pros and cons of Iceland’s possible EU membership has not been high on the general agenda, but is suddenly more vigorous than ever.
In the firing line, among other issues, are the generous subsidies for domestic agriculture. Iceland is the ruling world champion in that dubious league. The system is, however, essentially flawed; farmers are constantly on the brink of financial ruin and yet consumers pay through the nose for their products.
So this is a situation that is ripe for change. The way things stand, farmers and a large part of the pro-EU camp are in opposite corners. The farmers are understandably nervous about what cheaper agriculture could do to their livelihood and their profession.
EU membership would most likely signal the end of the industrial production of poultry and pigs in Iceland, but the rest of the farming sector should be in a good position to compete. In general, Icelandic farmers are makers of quality products that will prevail.
And Icelanders prefer local food and drink where they have a choice, the beer market being perhaps the best example. Out of Iceland’s top ten most popular beers, six are by local brewers. That’s pretty impressive, especially considering that 26 years ago there was hardly any beer production at all in Iceland. For 74 years (1915 to 1989), strong beer was illegal in Iceland, but after the ban was finally lifted, it took local brands only a short period to obliterate the imported competition.
Read more: The annual Icelandic Beer Day
The brewers did it with confidence and good products. Icelandic farmers should look to them for role models.
The running theme of Iceland’s political debate this spring is whether the EU membership application should be withdrawn, as the current government is proposing, or whether a national referendum should be held to decide how to proceed.
This is certainly not what the anti-EU government favors. The discussion about the pros and cons of Iceland’s possible EU membership has not been high on the general agenda, but is suddenly more vigorous than ever.
In the firing line, among other issues, are the generous subsidies for domestic agriculture. Iceland is the ruling world champion in that dubious league. The system is, however, essentially flawed; farmers are constantly on the brink of financial ruin and yet consumers pay through the nose for their products.
So this is a situation that is ripe for change. The way things stand, farmers and a large part of the pro-EU camp are in opposite corners. The farmers are understandably nervous about what cheaper agriculture could do to their livelihood and their profession.
EU membership would most likely signal the end of the industrial production of poultry and pigs in Iceland, but the rest of the farming sector should be in a good position to compete. In general, Icelandic farmers are makers of quality products that will prevail.
And Icelanders prefer local food and drink where they have a choice, the beer market being perhaps the best example. Out of Iceland’s top ten most popular beers, six are by local brewers. That’s pretty impressive, especially considering that 26 years ago there was hardly any beer production at all in Iceland. For 74 years (1915 to 1989), strong beer was illegal in Iceland, but after the ban was finally lifted, it took local brands only a short period to obliterate the imported competition.
Read more: The annual Icelandic Beer Day
The brewers did it with confidence and good products. Icelandic farmers should look to them for role models.
