With CAP reform moving to the implementation stage at farm level, IFA president Eddie Downey said the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney needs to address a number of outstanding issues on entitlements and conditions affecting the drawdown of Single Farm Payment (SFP) for 2014 and future years.

Regarding the proposal from Minister Coveney that lessors who have leased out all of their land and entitlements should now transfer their entitlements to the lessees, Downey said the Minister must ensure that these farmers do not encounter a tax liability on these forced transfers as a result of the shortcoming in the CAP regulation. He said force majeure cases must be fairly addressed and IFA has again written to Minister Coveney requesting a CGT and VAT tax derogation in respect of these entitlement transactions.

The IFA president said the change from the existing SFP payments to the new system in 2015 is complex and will require a huge amount of work and administration by the Department of Agriculture.

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Deadlines

He said: “Payments must continue to be made on time and within the deadlines set down during the changeover period in 2014 and 2015.”

Downey said IFA is meeting with the Department of Agriculture this week to discuss the conditions and objective criteria around the new National Reserve and Young Farmers’ Scheme. “Flexibility is important to accommodate different categories and IFA will be working to ensure full utilisation of the schemes.”

Meeting with Micheál Martin TD

IFA President Eddie Downey held a meeting with the leader of the opposition, Micheál Martin, at which he briefed the Fianna Fáil leader on farming issues, including the beef crisis, trade talks, the review of taxation reliefs and CAP implementation.

Sligo IFA AGM

IFA Connacht regional chairman Tom Turley attended the Sligo IFA annual general meeting as guest speaker. The new CAP scheme, SFP, rural development measures and the IFA campaign on livestock prices were among the issues addressed at the meeting.

Live exports

IFA director of livestock Kevin Kinsella attended the Clare County Executive meeting as guest speaker recently. He said: “Minister Coveney must take immediate action to address the beef sector issues and meet NI Minister Michelle O’Neill to remove the artificial blockages put in the way of the live export trade to NI.”

President at Leitrim Executive

Leitrim IFA held its annual general meeting recently, which was addressed by IFA president Eddie Downey as guest speaker. Among the issued discussed were the new CAP scheme, SFP, rural development measures and the IFA campaign on livestock prices.

Irish oyster sector

Ireland’s 130 oyster producers need practical support by way of a working licence system and vital capital aid available to all growers. IFA’s aquaculture executive Richie Flynn who addressed the IFA/BIM national oyster workshop in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, said that over 900 jobs depended on oyster farming in Ireland.

Forestry Bill

Michael Fleming, chairman of the IFA Forestry Committee, said: “IFA and other industry stakeholders have been closely watching the progress of the Forestry Bill which is entering the report stage in the coming weeks. The key issue remaining, which must be addressed if the industry is to grow and prosper in the years ahead, is the payment of compensation if a felling licence is refused.”