My weekly update - Main contents

It is my firm belief that the Latvian Presidency, with its ambitious agenda and clearly defined priorities, will be a very successful one.

After the hectic and productive visit to Berlin in the context of International Green Week, during which I had over 22 bilateral meetings with Ministers from around the world, this week I focused on planning for the busy time ahead. I used the time in Brussels to have a series of meetings with my officials in the Directorate General of Agriculture and Rural Development to prepare for the challenges of the coming months.

As Latvia holds the Presidency of the Council this year, it was a pleasure for me to catch up with the Latvian Minister for Agriculture, Jānis Dūklavs, for an early breakfast meeting on Wednesday morning. It is part of my continued active engagement with Council and Parliament, and it is my firm belief that the Latvian Presidency, with its ambitious agenda and clearly defined priorities, will be a very successful one.

I have also been preparing for the upcoming meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers which takes place next Monday. It is a chance to move important legislative dossiers along, such as Organics, and also to discuss the pressing political concerns of the day with Agriculture Ministers from across the EU. It is also an opportunity to meet with Ministers on a one to one basis to hear concerns relating to matters in their particular member state.

On Wednesday the College of Commissioners met for our weekly meeting, chaired by President Juncker. Later that day I received the Irish Minister of State for Rural Affairs, Ann Phelan TD. We had a useful engagement regarding the rural development programmes in Ireland. Rural development is a key element in the CAP, delivering jobs and growth to rural areas across Europe, and contributing to the sustainability goals of the CAP.

On Thursday I met with the European Milk Board to hear their views on the milk market situation. As many of you know the quota system is due to end in a little over two months - a time of great change in the dairy sector.

On Thursday afternoon I popped over to the European Parliament to contribute to a seminar hosted by MEP Marit Paulsen entitled "Speaking up for Seeds".

Today I am in Dublin and had a series of meetings, including breakfast with the board of IBEC and a meeting with the Northern Ireland Meat Exporters' Association. I was also made an Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Waste Management, the professional body which represents over 6,500 waste professionals working in the sustainable resources and wastes management sectors.

This weekend sees the 60th anniversary celebrations for the Irish Farmers' Association in my native Kilkenny, where I will be honoured to give the keynote address.

Thus ends a week for planning and preparation for a busy period ahead, where I will be visiting some more member states as part of my outreach to farmers, farm groups and national parliaments across the 28 member states of the EU.