IFA wants no further limit on CAP payments

There should be no further reduction to the cap on Basic Income Support Scheme (BISS) payments for genuine active farmers in the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), according to the IFA. Currently, BISS payments are capped at €66,000.

“Leased-in entitlements should be excluded when calculating total BISS payments for capping purposes.

“Family employment and/or arrangements to facilitate generational renewal (e.g. registered farm partnerships) where more than one income is being earned from the farm should also be factored into total BISS payments before capping comes into effect,” it said in its CAP post-2027 document this week.

The farm body said that “lessons of the past surrounding convergence and its impact on on-farm viability must be incorporated into any potential move toward full convergence”.

The IFA wants eco-schemes to be retained in pillar one of the CAP, with no further increase in funding beyond the existing 25% level.

“A menu of practical actions, relevant for all sectors and regardless of intensity, income vulnerability and geography, should be provided.

“No increase to existing obligations or thresholds should apply, nor should the inclusion of an obligatory participation clause in supply chain agreements for sustainability. Payment for mandatory legal requirements should also be permitted,” it said.

Front-loading

There should be no increase in the Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) under the next CAP, it said.

Known as front-loading and currently worth around €44/ha on the first 30ha, the IFA said there should be no increase in CRISS percentage theer would only a minor increase in payment for those who benefit, and a significant loss for many who will have their payments reduced.

It said that GAEC 2 should be removed from conditionality in the next CAP and an incentivised approach through eco- schemes or agri-environmental schemes should be adopted instead. The two-crop rule needs to be removed entirely, as it is “driving an exodus of smaller growers away from the tillage sector”, the IFA said, adding that the lie-back requirement under GAEC 6 has to be abolished.