The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is viewed as an obvious target for cuts, with Brexit set to blow a €12bn hole in the EU budget, European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan has said.

Speaking at a citizen’s dialogue in Kilkenny co-organised by the IFA and European Commission’s Irish office on Friday night, Commissioner Hogan said other priorities such as security, migration and defence have grown in prominence in recent years.

We need to be realistic: in the absence of more money from member states, there will be a cut to the CAP budget

"Therefore, in many quarters the CAP is viewed as the obvious target for cuts.

"Member states have the possibility to make up the Brexit shortfall by contributing a higher percentage of gross national income.

“I have been making this point strongly to heads of state and agriculture ministers across the EU, and I have also been offering a robust defence of the CAP and the value for money it delivers.

"I met the prime ministers of Ireland, Hungary, Portugal, France, Slovenia and the Baltic states in recent months, and they are receptive to my arguments.

"But we need to be realistic: in the absence of more money from member states, there will be a cut to the CAP budget.

“My job as I see it is to build the strongest possible coalition to resist the worst of these cuts, and achieve the best outcome in a difficult scenario."

Farmer income must be supported

Commissioner Hogan said the bottom line is that farmer income must continue to be supported – particularly our small- and medium-sized farmers.

“This is the role and duty of the CAP, as outlined in the EU founding treaties, and if we expect farmers to make a bigger contribution in relation to the climate challenge and other societal goals, they must be rewarded for that work.

"For me this is about equity and fairness for our farmers, who provide our citizens with so many public goods."

Read more

Cutting the CAP budget by 30% is ‘political lunacy’ – Hogan

Hogan urges dairy industry to heed market signals