Posted on 06/07/2006 10:57:19 PM PDT by MadIvan
NEARLY a billion bottles of French and Italian wine are to be turned into fuel and disinfectant because producers cannot find buyers.
The EU agriculture commissioner yesterday announced plans for a radical shake-up of the wine market to prevent over-production. In the meantime, it was agreed that the EU will finance the conversion of millions of bottles of French and Italian wine into industrial alcohol.
The growing popularity of wines from the New World has been blamed for the decline in the appetite for traditional European produce.
"Europe is producing too much wine for which there is no market," the commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, said.
"That is why a deep-rooted reform of the sector is urgently needed."
Ms Fischer Boel also wants to limit the hand-outs individual farmers can receive from the Common Agricultural Policy, her spokesman, said. Criticism of the payments meant the time was right to again consider reform.
"We get rather a lot of unfortunate newspaper stories saying various kings and lords get very large amounts of money in agricultural subsidies", the spokesman said.
"The feeling was it was a good idea to limit the amount each farm could receive."
Last year it was reported that the Queen and the Prince of Wales received more than £1 million in CAP subsidies. Several other aristocratic landowners were reported to receive six-figure sums.
Ms Fischer Boel is considering reintroducing a pay-out ceiling during a review of EU agriculture policy scheduled to start next year.
Wondering if it will make visiting a hospital any less unpleasant ?
France: Bottle up some of your best. Design a label featuring a frog wearing a beret, smoking a Gauloise, and waving a white flag. Print "Made in France by garlic reeking surrender monkeys," and charge $2.99 per bottle.
I might buy one or two for laughs.
Hahahahaha! Deez-on-fekt-ont
Don't forget the superb English wines which are beating the frogs and wops - there is a vinyard at the end of my garden which produces exceelent wine:
http://www.decanter.com/news/65362.html
'I can't believe people still call us "The New World".'
Why not? My house was built 171 years before the US came into existence you young whipper-snapper! :D
L
'Given that (A) much of Europe has a birthrate in the 1.3 children per woman range and (B) the large number of Muslim immigrants who are settling in Europe don't (in theory, anyway) drink alcohol, what does the European wine industry expect, a booming market? Even without the competition from America, the European market for wine is contracting with the native European population.'
The US population growth rate is 0.91 versus 0.35 for France but the US legal migration rate is 3.18 per 1000 and France is only 0.66 per 1000 population. When you factor in illegals, that means that the US population growth is entirely Latino based!
I hope mexicans drink wine or the US wine industry will go the same way!
Best thing for French and Italian wine. Good plan.
You can make ethanol from wine, can't you?
Where does Boone's Farm come from?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Pat Boones's farm?
This is a great day
Both US and Australian wines are called "New World".
sad wine news
I'm sorry this is happening to Italian wine.
"Why not? My house was built 171 years before the US came into existence you young whipper-snapper! :D"
My buddy from England jokes that he has barfed into bushes near the local pub that are older than our whole, bloody country!
Click to be +/- on this low volume wine ping list.Oenology news ping.
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