Walshe rejects alternatives to basis for calculating single farm payment

THE president of the Irish Farmers Association Padraig Walshe has strongly rejected suggestions from Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith that Ireland should examine alternatives to the historical basis used for calculating the single farm payment.

He said Mr Smith should come out strongly defending the single farm payment and make it abundantly clear to his European colleagues that in calculating Ireland’s payment he is not prepared to give away one cent in the 2013 CAP negotiations.

Mr Walshe said the single payment post-2013 must continue to be directed to supporting active farmers.