Smith stresses to EU Commissioner need for continued income support

THE future direction of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was one of the issues discussed at a meeting in Brussels yesterday between Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacien Ciolos.

Mr Smith said he emphasised to the Commissioner the need for a properly resourced common policy and for continued income support for farmers.

“Direct payments form a vitally important role in supporting and stabilising our farmers’ incomes and in rewarding them for the environmental and other benefits which they produce.