CAP payment reform ‘unacceptable’

EUROPEAN UNION agriculture policy will be shaped more and more by budgetary concerns, Irish farmers have been told.

Ireland East Fine Gael MEP Mairéad McGuinness predicted the move when speaking at the annual general meeting of Kildare/West Wicklow IFA.

She said the European Commission proposals, part of the Common Agricultural Policy Health Check, would, if implemented, result in a greater part of the single farm payment being used to fund rural development measures.

“If the Commission has its way 13% of the single farm payment will be taken by way of modulation by 2013.

“There is a strong desire at EU level to put more money into rural development. Yet, there is no political will to increase the overall level of the EU budget to make for such a provision,” she said.

Ms McGuinness said the only way to provide such funding is to increase modulation rates and thereby take money from the direct payments for rural development.

“The difficulty for farmers is that they were promised a period of policy stability until 2013. Tinkering with the single farm payment reneges on that commitment and is entirely unacceptable,” she said.

Ms McGuinness said the EU is undertaking a major review of its budget, which will look at all aspects of spending. There is no doubt that the issue of agriculture spending will be closely scrutinised.