Farmers' CAP fears grow as ICOS urges Heydon to lead defence under EU presidency

The Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon and other farm ministers must lead the defence of the CAP under the Irish EU presidency, ICOS president Edward Carr has said.

As part of this, the ICOS president is calling on the Minister to urge Taoiseach Micheál Martin to put CAP and food security on the agenda for discussion at the next EU leaders’ summit in Dublin in November.

Minister Heydon chaired his first Agriculture and Fisheries (AGRIFISH) Council of Ireland’s EU Presidency in Brussels focused on the European Commission’s livestock strategy and protein plan, the EU fertiliser strategy and on advancing the role of women in agriculture.

“The more farmers hear about the proposed changes to the CAP structure and the slashing of funds, the more worried they are becoming. As an Irish agriculture Minister, Mr Heydon knows more than most the value of a robust, fully funded, inflation adjusted CAP to family farms,” Carr stated.

CBAM

He said that Heydon has a “golden opportunity” to prioritise the issues which farmers on the ground are most concerned about, including the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) which remains unresolved, despite the new fertilser strategy.

Carr also hopes that the Minister will initiate workable solutions around animal transport and animal welfare legislation, while discussions to review the nitrates directive and birds and habitats directive are also needed.

International year of the woman farmer

A focus on advancing the role, visibility and participation of women in agriculture is encouraging to see, Carr said.

“This is the international year of women in agriculture and rather than just nod to the slogan, all parts of agriculture including co-operatives need to be proactive in supporting and nurturing a stronger pathway for women and in particular young women into farming.

“It goes hand in hand with generational renewal strategies and we in ICOS support the Minister in whatever initiatives he is planning in this regard.”

All of these issues will form part of a major national conference that ICOS is organising for November as an accredited EU presidency event.