The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) could be finalised by the back end of 2019, despite reports of it being pushed by to 2022, the European Commissioner for Agriculture told the Irish Farmers Journal in Brussels on Thursday.

I think we’ve made a lot more progress than people realise

When asked about the potential of the time frame slipping in order for the CAP to be finalised, he said he does not share the pessimism of it taking until 2022 to complete.

“I don’t share the pessimism of 2022 [to] finalise agreement. I think we’ve made a lot more progress than people realise with the Austrian presidency and the European Parliament.

“I think in the second half of 2019 we might finalise the CAP reform.”

Genuine farmer definition

Commissioner Hogan was also asked about what he himself thinks is the definition of a genuine farmer under the next CAP.

He said that a genuine farmer is “somebody achieving most of their income from farming that are farming the land rather than cutting the grass once a year”.

On direct payments he said: “We want to see fairer distribution of the payments to help young farmers and help small- and medium-sized farmers get a bigger slice of the cake.”

The Irish Farmers Journal also asked the Commissioner if he would like to remain in Brussels, either in agriculture or potentially trade.

He said that the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has to ask him first if he wants to stay on and that if he is asks he would consider it.

Brexit

Earlier in the day, the Commissioner was speaking at the annual EU agricultural outlook conference where he touched on Brexit.

“Every hour matters, in the House of Commons, [Brexit] is a very difficult issue. I hope that the UK parliament sees sense.

“We’re not planning for a plan B. We will be fair with the UK.”