Honner calls for ‘positive discrimination’
These older farmers see the new system as a mechanism to drastically reduce production, while retaining entitlements, he said.
“This is a major threat to the vibrancy of Irish agriculture. The detailed arrangements of the new system must be designed to encourage these ‘so-called farmers’ to surrender their entitlements to young farmers,” he added.
He proposed a 10% clawback on all private sales of entitlements, to be transferred into an on-going reserve of entitlements, to provide for new entrants. “Access to entitlements for new entrants must be a priority. The fact that payments under the new system will be based on historical production records will give established farmers a major advantage. This must be counter balanced by positive discrimination towards young farmers in the implementation of the new system , he said.
