This week, the second agriculture council meeting under the German presidency was held in Brussels and it is clear that momentum is building for the conclusion of a deal next month.

Even if agreement is secured in October, it won’t take effect until 2022 at the earliest because the approval process will take up the rest of this year and a transition arrangement will come into effect, whereby the new budget will be applied to the existing CAP rules for the duration of the transition.

It was a first outing for Irish agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue and he has focused on the risk of Ireland losing a slice of CAP money if we fail to take up the eco schemes that will replace greening next time round.

The environmental standard previously rewarded under greening is now a basic requirement to secure a BISS payment

Greening in the present CAP is an environmental payment that makes up part of the BPS.

However, next time, the BPS payment will be replaced by a basic income support for sustainability (BISS) payment, with the greening element moved to cross compliance.

This means that the environmental standard previously rewarded under greening is now a basic requirement to secure a BISS payment.

Eco schemes

However, there will be an opportunity for farmers to apply to deliver eco schemes to get the money they previously received under greening.

It is a concern to Minister McConalogue that Irish farmers may choose not to apply for these eco schemes and that a portion of Ireland’s CAP budget could be lost.

The German presidency has a huge challenge to secure agreement between the agriculture ministers at next month’s council meeting, as the environment-focused CAP proposal moves closer to reality.

However, when the agreement is concluded at EU level, in many ways the work for the agriculture ministers is just beginning.

Delivery of the CAP in member states will be done on the basis of national plans that have to be approved in advance by the EU and this is the main reason why the EU won’t be ready to switch over immediately to the new CAP once it is approved by the EU institutions.

National plans

There will be considerable flexibility given to member states on how they deliver the next CAP, so long as it is within the framework of the EU Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy.

This is all intended to make the EU the world’s first carbon neutral continent by 2050 and is the theme of this Commission.

Achieving the reduction in GHG emissions is a particular challenge for Irish agriculture which is so heavily livestock centred.

The ambition of achieving 25% of land use moving to organic farming seems very ambitious, particularly in countries such as Ireland with a relatively small domestic market.

However, a huge CAP-based incentive to go organic would also reduce livestock numbers and emissions and enable the produce to be sold in mainstream markets if necessary.

Whatever the outcome next month, delivery of the CAP will occupy Irish farmers in the months ahead.