This week,Adam Woods exposes the extent to which support for the national suckler herd has dwindled over the past decade. A reduction equivalent to €200 per cow per annum does not go unnoticed in a low-income sector.

In many ways, it is surprising that we have not seen an even more severe contraction in the national herd over this period.

This week, European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan, in his communication on the future of food and farming, clearly indicates increased flexibility for member states to target support payments under both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2.

Should the political will exist, there is going to be an opportunity for Government to target supports back towards the suckler herd through a form of coupled payment scheme. Any scheme should be designed to improve technical efficiency and address environmental concerns.

Meanwhile, it is encouraging to see the Commissioner’s proposals identify the need for the introduction of income stabilisation tools in taxation policy to help farmers tackle volatility. We do, however, have to be concerned about the reference to EU budget pressures, where the paper highlights that “there are a number of new challenges in which the EU budget will need to do more”.