The German government has announced it will match the European Union support package for farmers.

The package revealed in July by European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan included €350m, from which Germany will receive the largest proportion of any member state at €58m. Ireland will receive €11m.

This means German farmers will be provided with €116m in supports, primarily distributed to dairy farmers.

Two goals

German agriculture minister Christian Schmidt told newspaper Nordwest-Zeitung that Germany will double the €58m from the EU’s support package, announced last month, with another €58m coming from national funds.

“A structural shift [in the agriculture sector] would cost us dearly,” he said. “Our new help has two goals: granting liquidity to farm businesses and giving incentives for production discipline.”

National governments are allowed to match the funds by the same amount under rules Commissioner Hogan announced last month.

Irish Government

However, the Irish Department of Agriculture confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that no decision has been made: “The package was further discussed by member states at management committee level in July, with the aim of finalising an agreement regarding the exact details of the package, issues such as reference periods, flexibility in implementation etc in August. No decision has been made on the question of matching funding.”

In total the package revealed by Phil Hogan in July was worth €500m, with €350m in financial aid and a €150m EU-wide measure for farmers who reduce their milk output.

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