The Irish Farmers Journal can reveal the top CAP beneficiaries across Ireland and within each county.
Analysis of CAP payment data provided by the Department of Agriculture shows that stud farms and beef feedlots remain some of the top earners.
Country Crest Arable Limited, Co Dublin - a tillage and vegetable farm with some 3,000ac - bagged top CAP earnings, receiving just under €237,600 as its direct payment last year.
Owned by brothers Michael and Gabriel Hoey, Country Crest received nearly €20,000 in other CAP schemes, including over €9,500 for agri environment and climate measures. The farm’s direct payment is up over €7,000 from €230,500 received in 2021.
Vegetable farmer
O’Shea Farms Unlimited, Pilltown, Co Kilkenny, landed the second-highest CAP direct payment, receiving €224,352 and a further almost €15,000 in other measures.
The farm company, also known under Iverk Produce, grows and sells fruit and vegetables.
Godolphin Ireland UC, based at the 1,500ac Kildangan Stud, Co Kildare, came in third place with a CAP direct payment of €222,282.
The fourth-highest earner was Castlecor Potatoes Unlimited, Mallow, Co Cork, with a direct payment of €216,557.
The recipients of the fifth-highest direct payment were Cork dairy farmers T Brown and A O’Donovan with €212,362.
Lunarford Ltd, Co Tipperary, its principal activity which company documents say is the "farming of sheep, goats, horse, asses, mules and hinnies", had the sixth-highest payment at €204,801.
Beef farms
Branganstown Farms Ltd, Co Louth, came in seventh place on the top 10 list with €204,432. This Louth farm is directed by Larry Goodman and members of his family.
Rounding out the CAP direct payment top 10 were Park Farms Partnership, Co Carlow (€202,561); Kevin, Martin and Bríd Byrne, Co Kildare (€192,943); and Bellingham Farms, Co Louth (€192,581).
