Macra na Feirme recently launched its CAP 2020 policy, which recognises the need for CAP 2020 to focus on results-based environmental measures where payments are linked to specific outcomes.

When paid according to outcomes, there is an incentive to use land for production that will produce the best environmental results. Costs are easier to justify and results-based measures create common goals and reduce friction leading to co-operation between farmers, conservationists and environmentalists.

Macra na Feirme president Seán Finan said: “Young farmers are the new environmentalists and the custodians of the countryside. Young farmers, having grown up in an environmentally-aware era, are more than willing to maintain rural environments to the highest standards with full recognition the rural countryside is a public good, for the enjoyment of all European citizens. ”

Macra na Feirme agricultural affairs vice-chair Thomas Duffy said: “Results-based measures perform the dual role of having demonstrable outcomes and giving farmers a stake in but also responsibility over environmental improvement. It is of vital importance for their success that environmental measures engage farmers and give them a stake in their success. A successful results-based measure would be the Burren Life project, which helps to protect the unique biodiversity of the Burren whereas the wild bird cover measures under the GLAS programme would be a management measure, but without a baseline we have no idea how successful it has been.’’

Full details of the Macra CAP 2020 policy are available at www.macra.ie/downloads

Macra na Feirme acknowledges the European Council’s conclusions as part of the EU’s 2030 Climate Change and Energy Policy Framework (Oct 2014) which recognises the unique relationship between agriculture, the environment and food security.