Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is looking to build an alliance of EU farm ministers who are opposed to the European Commission’s proposals to stop CAP payments to farmers receiving pensions, as well as to farmers who make more than half their incomes off-farm.
Speaking in Dáil Éireann on Thursday, Minister Heydon said he shares farmer concern with Brussels’ plans to scrap CAP payments for pensioners by 2032 and that he sees flexibility in designing schemes at national level as a means of avoiding this cliff edge for thousands of Irish farmers.
“This proposal has caused significant worry and concern among older farmers, understandably,” the Minister stated.
“I assure farmers that I share their concerns and I, along with some other member state counterparts, have raised those concerns at the Council of Ministers.
“My focus in negotiations will be to ensure that Ireland retains sufficient flexibility to design a CAP programme that reflects the realities of Irish farming and supports family farms.”
The Commission came forward with the proposal to stop CAP funds heading to farmers receiving a state pension in its proposals for the next CAP, saying that the move would free up funds for younger farmers and speed up the handover of farmland to next generation.
“I have a different view and I am building alliances with the other ministers for agriculture that have a different view as well,” TDs heard from Minister Heydon.
“It is the same with part-time farming. The approach to the active farmer proposed by the Commission is not one I agree with.”
Part-time farmers
The Minister’s comments on part-time farming in the context of the next CAP refer to the Commission’s proposal to only allow those “whose principal activity is agriculture” to draw direct payments with some, yet undefined, allowance for smaller part-time farmers.
Minister Heydon said around 43% of Ireland’s farmers are classed as part-time.
“Part-time farmers are central to the structure and sustainability of Irish agriculture,” he said.
“No final decisions have been made on the future definition of ‘farmer’ in the next CAP.
“We need to make sure that our approach involves fairness and balance and that any future model is workable in practice and will not disproportionately impact productive farms or undermine food production capacity and farm viability.”
SF concern
It was a question from Sinn Féin’s spokesperson Martin Kenny TD that prompted Minister’s Heydon’s response.
“For many of these situations regarding off-farm income, whether a pension or whatever else, there needs to be a recognition that the vast majority of farmers need an off-farm income to make the farm viable,” Deputy Kenny said.
“That is the reality of it. To suggest they would somehow be punished would mean they are punishing agriculture.
“They are doing the direct opposite of what the CAP is supposed to be about - enhancing the possibility of agriculture being prosperous, doing well and having a future.”
SHARING OPTIONS