In its simplest form, convergence brings farmers with extremely high payments down and farmers on extremely low payments up closer to a central point. When direct payments to farmers moved from being production-based to land-based, the process of convergence was introduced to redistribute payments from farms that had large payments based on past production to farms that had low payments.
The ambition is that in time the direct CAP payment, now based on land farmed, would converge to being similar for all farmers irrespective of what they had received historically for production.
The Irish Farmers’ Association supports convergence, but maintains it should be upwards only and those who benefit should be genuine farmers. It is not fair that all farmers with per-hectare payments above the average should have their payments cut regardless of how few hectares they have, the association says. CAP reform should not make more farms unviable, it adds. The point is also made that such cuts disproportionately affected low-income livestock and grain farmers who had (built up) higher per-hectare payments due to low commodity prices.
Many farmers with a small overall payment have suffered severe losses due to the fact that convergence was based on a per hectare basis while people with very large tracts of land have seen their payments rise substantially, according to the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA). The association is very clear that this needs to be addressed in the new CAP. It says the fact that a person’s payment per hectare is above €260 should not mean their payment should be cut.
It believes that policy is unfair. Convergence needs to take account of the farmer’s overall level of payment, the ICMSA says.
The farmer’s overall payment needs to be included in the calculation of convergence and below an overall payment level of €30,000 convergence cuts should not apply for “active” farmers (known as genuine farmers in the next CAP).
By the end of the next CAP, payments should be 100% converged, according to the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA). This would equate to a payment of €250/ha for every farmer across the board by 2026. The INHFA is hopeful that convergence will not apply to farmers with payments under a certain level, potentially €5,000.
The focus of CAP must be on the family farm and to ensure payments to family farms are protected, says the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).
There is no way the income of ordinary people on less than €50,000 should be cut, it says.
If money is taken from bigger farmers, it should be used to support smaller farmers, according to the association. Family farms’ backs are to the wall – that’s where CAP payments should be focused.
The ICSA says it is unfair that farmers, particularly young farmers who are only getting going, are being held to a reference year.
It supports the idea that the active young farmer should be paid at the average level. If they’re not active, there’s no point in giving them more payments.
The Beef Plan Movement is still working out its position on convergence.
Read more
Creed ‘baffled’ by proposal of upward-only convergence
Calls for CAP limit of €60,000 with no loopholes
'Couch farmers shouldn't get payments under CAP'
In its simplest form, convergence brings farmers with extremely high payments down and farmers on extremely low payments up closer to a central point. When direct payments to farmers moved from being production-based to land-based, the process of convergence was introduced to redistribute payments from farms that had large payments based on past production to farms that had low payments.
The ambition is that in time the direct CAP payment, now based on land farmed, would converge to being similar for all farmers irrespective of what they had received historically for production.
The Irish Farmers’ Association supports convergence, but maintains it should be upwards only and those who benefit should be genuine farmers. It is not fair that all farmers with per-hectare payments above the average should have their payments cut regardless of how few hectares they have, the association says. CAP reform should not make more farms unviable, it adds. The point is also made that such cuts disproportionately affected low-income livestock and grain farmers who had (built up) higher per-hectare payments due to low commodity prices.
Many farmers with a small overall payment have suffered severe losses due to the fact that convergence was based on a per hectare basis while people with very large tracts of land have seen their payments rise substantially, according to the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA). The association is very clear that this needs to be addressed in the new CAP. It says the fact that a person’s payment per hectare is above €260 should not mean their payment should be cut.
It believes that policy is unfair. Convergence needs to take account of the farmer’s overall level of payment, the ICMSA says.
The farmer’s overall payment needs to be included in the calculation of convergence and below an overall payment level of €30,000 convergence cuts should not apply for “active” farmers (known as genuine farmers in the next CAP).
By the end of the next CAP, payments should be 100% converged, according to the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA). This would equate to a payment of €250/ha for every farmer across the board by 2026. The INHFA is hopeful that convergence will not apply to farmers with payments under a certain level, potentially €5,000.
The focus of CAP must be on the family farm and to ensure payments to family farms are protected, says the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).
There is no way the income of ordinary people on less than €50,000 should be cut, it says.
If money is taken from bigger farmers, it should be used to support smaller farmers, according to the association. Family farms’ backs are to the wall – that’s where CAP payments should be focused.
The ICSA says it is unfair that farmers, particularly young farmers who are only getting going, are being held to a reference year.
It supports the idea that the active young farmer should be paid at the average level. If they’re not active, there’s no point in giving them more payments.
The Beef Plan Movement is still working out its position on convergence.
Read more
Creed ‘baffled’ by proposal of upward-only convergence
Calls for CAP limit of €60,000 with no loopholes
'Couch farmers shouldn't get payments under CAP'
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