The EU-wide Agricultural and Rural Convention (ARC2020), which focuses on more environmentally-friendly farming, has made alternative proposals for the next CAP.
"The eco-scheme has lots of potential," said Oliver Moore, who represents ARC2020 in Ireland and lectures at UCC.
"It could be what REPS used to be," he added, although a market premium should be associated with the efforts farmers put in to achieve the standards under this new version of payments.
Do an eco scheme and market food under that brand, paying a 5% premium
"Do an eco scheme and market food under that brand, paying a 5% premium," Moore said, adding that being a member of Origin Green should not be enough to qualify for the scheme.
Under cross-compliance, Moore said spraying permanent pastures with herbicides before reseeding should no longer be allowed.
However, some of the plants being grazed by hardy breeds on hills should be included in the definition of permanent pastures.
Tax on nitrogen fertiliser
Meanwhile, Moore called for a tax on nitrogen fertiliser, "provided it is used to incentivise mixed swards including clover" in an effort to reduce nitrogen losses to water, and to the atmosphere under the form of greenhouse gas emissions.
The ARC2020 representative said the maximum allowable funds should be transferred from direct payments to rural development schemes, especially to "open the organic scheme every year and allow 2,000 farmers in".
A 15-year payment should also support agro-forestry and high nature value farming schemes, such as the one in the Burren, should be extended, Moore added.
European elections
He was speaking at a public event organised by Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan this week.
Speakers said that the agriculture committee of the European Parliament would start voting on the next CAP in two weeks' time.
However, the Irish Farmers Journal understands that the full package won't be ready for voting until April, leaving little chance of a final decision before this year's European elections.
Read more
New tool to help EU farmers to manage nutrients in development
Farmer buy-in key to environmental schemes
Listen: pay farmers to sequester carbon – ‘Ming’ Flanagan
CAP reform delayed until after European elections
The EU-wide Agricultural and Rural Convention (ARC2020), which focuses on more environmentally-friendly farming, has made alternative proposals for the next CAP.
"The eco-scheme has lots of potential," said Oliver Moore, who represents ARC2020 in Ireland and lectures at UCC.
"It could be what REPS used to be," he added, although a market premium should be associated with the efforts farmers put in to achieve the standards under this new version of payments.
Do an eco scheme and market food under that brand, paying a 5% premium
"Do an eco scheme and market food under that brand, paying a 5% premium," Moore said, adding that being a member of Origin Green should not be enough to qualify for the scheme.
Under cross-compliance, Moore said spraying permanent pastures with herbicides before reseeding should no longer be allowed.
However, some of the plants being grazed by hardy breeds on hills should be included in the definition of permanent pastures.
Tax on nitrogen fertiliser
Meanwhile, Moore called for a tax on nitrogen fertiliser, "provided it is used to incentivise mixed swards including clover" in an effort to reduce nitrogen losses to water, and to the atmosphere under the form of greenhouse gas emissions.
The ARC2020 representative said the maximum allowable funds should be transferred from direct payments to rural development schemes, especially to "open the organic scheme every year and allow 2,000 farmers in".
A 15-year payment should also support agro-forestry and high nature value farming schemes, such as the one in the Burren, should be extended, Moore added.
European elections
He was speaking at a public event organised by Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan this week.
Speakers said that the agriculture committee of the European Parliament would start voting on the next CAP in two weeks' time.
However, the Irish Farmers Journal understands that the full package won't be ready for voting until April, leaving little chance of a final decision before this year's European elections.
Read more
New tool to help EU farmers to manage nutrients in development
Farmer buy-in key to environmental schemes
Listen: pay farmers to sequester carbon – ‘Ming’ Flanagan
CAP reform delayed until after European elections
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