There has been a mixed reaction from farm organisations to the CAP plan which will be sent to Brussels in the coming days.

IFA president Tim Cullinan said the plan does not strike the right balance between environmental, economic and social sustainability.

“The plan will hit a cohort of our most productive farmers who will see a devastating cut in their basic payment.

“Many beef, sheep and tillage farmers who do not have off-farm income will find it very difficult to achieve viability.

“It is very complex and many farmers will be in for a big shock when they see the cut in their basic payment in 2023.

“The minister could have put more funding into programmes to support beef, sheep and tillage farmers, but he decided not to.

“These sectors will need further national supports if they are to survive as we know them,” he said.

ICMSA president Pat McCormack said the Cabinet green light and the submission of the CAP plan to the European Commission “looked and felt premature” across a range of issues.

Our opinion has not changed: the CAP strategic plan does not represent the best that could have been achieved

He said the plan was “demonstrably incomplete” and unsupported by either the data or the farming community, thousands of whom are facing considerable losses under the proposed plan.

“Our opinion has not changed: the CAP strategic plan does not represent the best that could have been achieved. It needed more work and certainly ICMSA was willing to put that in, but this schedule is in keeping with the whole atmosphere around our CAP, which stressed more appearance than substance,” McCormack said.

INHFA

The INHFA has broadly welcomed the plan, saying that front-loading of €43/ha and an eco-scheme payment of at least €63/ha “will go a long way to ensuring farmers are paid fairly for their effort”.

It is essential that the Government and the Department work constructively with farmers on this

INHFA president Vincent Roddy told the Irish Farmers Journal: “We must also recognise that farmers are willing to embrace the environmental challenge that is posed in this CAP and it is essential that the Government and the Department work constructively with farmers on this and not take advantage of their goodwill through any action that would undermine the agricultural area status of their land.”