DEAR SIR: As we start the run up to the general election in the spring, I as a farmer have been reading with interest the various political parties’ press statements on agriculture with interest.

In recent weeks, Fianna Fáil’s ag spokesperson Eamon Ó Cuív TD has clearly indicated that his party would favour EU monies to be geared towards disadvantaged or low-production models. While some commentators oversimplify this by saying it’s a west v south/east debate, we all know there are very productive farmers on difficult farms and non-productive farmers on high-quality land, and this should not be one region against another.

The debate and current CAP policy, however, to subsidise on land ownership instead of production is in my opinion flawed. I accept that we must keep farmers on marginal land but this should be done through targeted schemes.

The Basic Payment System (BPS) will no longer distinguish between productive and non-productive farmers. In fact, enthusiastic farmers who wish to rent land to increase production find a totally distorted rental market.

Decoupling payments was announced to great fanfare but I have my doubts that it was the right course as it was the first break with supporting production.

I don’t want to misrepresent Deputy Ó Cuív’s position but, surely, political policy must prioritise active productive farmers and, as a country, the more high-value product we can put on the boat bound for foreign shores, the better.