Food production
During a regional convention in Kalisz, the head of the Law and Justice parliamentary group, Mariusz Błaszczak, underscored the significance of both the April and June elections. He stressed that these votes will shape Poland’s policy direction for years to come and will influence how the country engages with the European Union on farming, security, and sovereignty. Błaszczak, a former deputy prime minister and former defense minister, spoke as a guest at the party’s event promoting local government candidates, highlighting how the outcomes could recalibrate political dynamics within Poland and across Europe.
Arriving with a two-hour delay from Leszno, where he had met protesting farmers at the Leszno-Zachód intersection near Lasocice, Błaszczak described the discussion as constructive, even though it was not brief. He noted that the farmers were unwavering in their resolve but remained committed patriots of Poland. The meeting, he said, was encouraging, reflecting a readiness to engage on tough topics while keeping national interests at the forefront.
According to Błaszczak, the openness of PiS activists to participate in shaping Polish agriculture and defending it against external threats was a key takeaway from the discussions. He framed the European Union as both an opportunity and a risk, pointing to proposals aimed at restricting animal production and increasing food imports from other regions, including South America. He warned that such a trajectory could undermine Europe’s agricultural base and, by extension, its overall resilience.
He projected that the April and June elections would be decisive in disrupting what he described as a political clique aligned with the European People’s Party and the European Socialist Party. He explicitly named the Civic Platform and the Polish People’s Party as part of that bloc, arguing that a shift in votes could realign influence within the EU and within Poland’s own political landscape.
From his perspective, the protests led by farmers extended beyond defending the countryside; they represented a broader defense of national sovereignty. In the current Polish context, he argued, peasant mobilization carries significant weight for the nation’s future. He linked sovereignty to the ability to sustain agricultural production, contending that the Green Deal and perceived government limitations at the EU, Brussels, and Berlin level constrain Poland’s options. He called for measures to safeguard national security and economic autonomy.
On the subject of food production, Błaszczak described Polish agriculture as among the world’s leading producers. He highlighted competition from Ukraine, noting that Ukrainian soils are fertile and production costs in that region often fall outside Poland’s regulatory standards. This, he argued, necessitates strong protections for Poland’s domestic market and the broader agro-food sector, including keeping processing companies under national or regional ownership and control.
In advocating for structural changes, Błaszczak suggested the creation of cooperatives, invoking a tradition rooted in Poland’s interwar period. He argued that cooperative models could reinforce national supply chains, stabilize pricing, and ensure that value added within the agro-food sector remains in Polish hands. The comments reflected a broader agenda of economic resilience and national self-sufficiency in agriculture, seen as essential to Poland’s rural communities and overall sovereignty.
These themes — agricultural sovereignty, a critical view of EU policy shifts, and calls for domestic cooperatives — were framed as not only economic concerns but as components of Poland’s national security strategy. The discussions during the convention and the farmers’ protests were portrayed as interconnected with the nation’s right to determine its own agricultural future, independent of external pressures. Such narratives were presented as central to shaping policy in the run-up to the elections and beyond, with a focus on preserving Poland’s agricultural heritage while fostering modern, sustainable growth. The event, and the reactions it provoked, were cited as evidence of an engaged citizenry that values practical solutions and national resilience as much as political reform. This broader vision of resilience and self-reliance was positioned as a practical path forward for farmers, industry, and rural communities alike, aligning with the party’s emphasis on strong borders, secure supply chains, and prudent economic stewardship.
— end of report from the regional gathering and subsequent farming discussions, with ongoing attention to developments across Poland’s political and economic landscape. Ongoing commentary referenced below highlights the evolving dialogue about food security, sovereignty, and the EU’s role in agricultural policy. Attribution: wPolityce