Coughlan will 'strongly resist' changes to farm payments

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan has given an assurance from that she will "strongly resist" any attempt to change EU farm payments through the World Trade Organisation.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has proposed making CAP payments part of a future trade deal.

Welcoming the promise, SF TD Martin Ferris said: "There is alarm among farmers following recent statements by Commissioner Mandelson and it is some reassurance that the Irish Government has committed itself to opposing any change to the current system of farm payments.

"It is important that the decoupled Single Farm Payment is safeguarded under the ‘green box’ criteria that defines it as non-trade distorting and that agriculture is not made the sacrificial lamb in order to arrive at a trade deal that will damage farmers in the EU."