A new agri-environmental option member states should consider providing to farmers in the 2028-2034 CAP is what the European Commission has termed the voluntary transition towards resilient production systems.
The idea is that a farmer will transition part or all of their farm to “production systems that [member states] deem beneficial for the climate and environment” in return for lump sums of up to €200,000.
This agri-environmental scheme option would require a farm transition plan put in place with an adviser that would see payments made to participating farmers in instalments as a plan’s measures are put in place.
However, the proposals warn that countries would have to ensure that the payments are recovered if the farmer fails to implement the transition action plan.
An example the Commission has provided of how a transition plan could operate is that a farmer converting to organics could detail their expected income losses from conversion, as well as any additional machinery costs, for lump sum approval.
After the conversion is complete and the lump sums have been paid in stages in line with following the plan, the farm can then apply for a per hectare organic farming payment provided under a separate agri-environmental scheme.
SHARING OPTIONS