Macra na Feirme recently launched the organisation’s policy paper, CAP 2020 – Young Farmer Roadmap for Generational Renewal after a significant national consultation process, which included engagement with approximately 1,000 young farmers who expressed their vision for CAP 2020.

Speaking at the launch of the Macra na Feirme CAP 2020 policy, national president Seán Finan said: “CAP payments need to support active farmers who are delivering public goods and all CAP 2020 measures need to be young farmer-proofed with a top-up for young farmers on all measures. We call for the commitment of a minimum of 10% of the total CAP budget to be dedicated towards young farmer measures.”

This week, the focus is on three key elements of the document, including the active farmer definition, distribution of direct payments and rural development measures.

Active farmer definition

Macra na Feirme strongly opposes the omnibus proposal to allow member states the option to apply the active farmer definition. Macra na Feirme demands that a standard active farmer definition is upheld by all member states which is powerful and capable of refocusing the distribution of payments to active farmers.

We recommend maintaining the current negative active farmer list with additional parameters considered when redefining the active farmer definition such as:

  • Mandatory completion of a five-year farm business development plan.
  • Mandatory completion of continuous farm health and safety training courses.
  • Implementation of a minimum agricultural activity for example stocking rates.
  • Cropping rates set by individual member states.
  • Farmers to have a continuous professional development (CPD) training plan to provide them with the ongoing skills and knowledge required to foster innovation and embrace the latest technologies.
  • Mandatory completion of a farm succession plan for farmers upon reaching the age of 63 to promote inter-generational renewal. Cross-compliance checks would determine achievement of the active farmer definition.
  • Distribution of direct payments

    The direct payment model is the most straightforward means of rewarding, vibrant, efficient, sustainable active farmers, but it does not favour the outdated method of relying on historical reference-year payments and views it as barrier to the young farmer entering into agriculture.

    We propose a new model of distributing direct payment be introduced calculated on a four-way budgetary split, as follows:

  • 40% of budget for an economic viability area payment to farmers based on individual level of the 2019 converged area-based payments.
  • 30% targeted payment, paid on achievement of climate change and results-based environmental measures.
  • 20% targeted payment, paid on achievement of farm business development measures including a portion of the budget for front-loaded coupled measures for vulnerable sectors.
  • 10% young farmer measures – mandatory young farmer top-up, up to the age of 40 and ongoing continuously open National Reserve for all young farmers and new entrants.
  • Macra na Feirme proposes a maximum upper limit of €100,000 on direct payments.

    RDP measures

    All Rural Development Programme (RDP) measures need to be young farmer-proofed and give additional grant aid to all young educated farmers who are under the age of 40. RDP measures should complement investment, jobs and growth in rural communities and the establishment of young farmers such as:

  • Startup aid measure: a mandatory measure covering young farmer vouched expenditure and capital inputs at establishment.
  • Succession measure: a measure which supports succession and intergenerational renewal.
  • Financial instruments: mandatory inclusion of on-farm risk management tools and financial instruments as part of the RDP.
  • Knowledge transfer: a voucher system be introduced to allow every farmer the option to avail of a specific Knowledge Transfer event which caters for their needs.
  • Support for young farmer organisations: young farmer organisations across Europe support the transfer of knowledge to their members and they should receive financial support through the RDP.
  • Agri-environment schemes: a move toward a combination of management, results-based and locally led schemes for environmental measures.
  • Farmer health, safety and wellbeing: farmers receive a free, yearly health and wellbeing check-up and participate in a free mandatory health and safety course.
  • Farm investment and improvement: measures which are targeted at the modernisation of farm holding and investments which promote safety and investment on farms.
  • Land mobility: legislative action and funding through the RDP to facilitate the establishment of national programmes aimed at facilitating land mobility/succession planning services.
  • Read the full document on www.macra.ie/downloads