Usually it is a reform of CAP that defines a term of office for a European Commissioner for Agriculture. However, with the current 2020 proposals likely to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, getting Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) legislation could be the defining act of Phil Hogan’s term as commissioner.

Given that this isn’t exclusively within his remit – there is a commissioner specifically for competition issues – Hogan will have to work hard to build support for action.

He prepared the ground with the European Commissions agricultural markets taskforce, which reported on the issues faced by farmers.

He has now gone out to consultation on what should be the next steps or how far legislation should go on UTPs, market transparency and value sharing between processors and farmer suppliers. The consultation closes this Friday.

If Hogan can get support to have meaningful legislation brought forward in 2018, it will be a defining moment of his term of office and leave a lasting benefit to farmers.