IFA wants 50% co-financing and national top-ups for CAP plan

The new CAP rural development plan needs to be fully funded, with 50% co-financing and national top-ups, IFA president John Bryan has urged Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.

The IFA leader has called upon Mr Coveney to clarify the Government’s position on CAP funding, most notably funding for vulnerable sectors under the new CAP. He said farmers will not tolerate the minister exercising the option to take 8% from Pillar I for coupling, or moving up to 15% of funds from Pillar I to Pillar II.

He cited suckler beef production, sheep, protein crops and small-scale dairy farming in certain regions as vulnerable sectors. The IFA is committed to supporting vulnerable sectors and regions targeting active farmers, using objective criteria which will support productivity and viability.

The IFA draft proposals state national funding and unused funds must provide at least 50% of the funding required for vulnerable sectors. The balance of funding could come from not more than 3% from Pillar I (€36m) and an equivalent amount from Pillar II (€36m).

The IFA president said the key priorities for the IFA in the Pillar II Rural Development Plan are a strong agri-environment scheme, the restoration of the Disadvantaged Areas payments to their pre-cut levels, investment support across all levels of farming, including TAMS for dairy expansion, and young farmer measures that support productivity.