The first of the Irish Farmers Journal CAP information events was held in Cork last week, with Department of Agriculture and Teagasc officials joining our team to outline what farmers need to know.
The next event in the series takes place in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Co Carlow, on Thursday 3 November at 7.30pm, with subsequent events in Tuam, Co Galway, and Cootehill, Co Cavan, to follow on 9 and 15 November respectively.
Readers can register here.
Farmers shared their views on the new CAP, nitrates and organics following the Cork meeting.
John Landers - dairy
“When the payment is staying with the land owner, you’ve a lot of armchair farmers now again.
“I wouldn’t be applying for ACRES, no. It wouldn’t fit into my system.
“The biggest problem now you see is our cows are going now from the 90kg to the 106kg [nitrates banding levels].
"We’re milking 120 cows now and I’ve a son at home with me, but like we have to get 20ac more now to stay where we are. And we can’t get it. It’s just not there. A lad down the road from me gave €460/ac for [renting land] last week.
“[Farmers being unsure of what’s in schemes] is the Department’s fault. They’re always late bringing everything out, aren’t they? The ACRES thing is closed the 21 November and we know [nothing] about it.
William Keating - tillage
“After tonight now, we seem to be very positive [about the CAP]. We know where things are going like.
“I’m undecided [on ACRES]. It all depends on leased ground and my rented group. I’m not sure where we stand going forward.
“I think ACRES and the CAP will definitely yeah, definitely reward the active farmer.
“For the tillage end of it, the end product is not going to be profitable when you’re trying to sell organically.”
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