CAP area premia 'another way of saving rural Ireland'

JOE DOLAN sings the praises of the CAP review proposals which have shocked many farmers across Europe.

Joe is a North Tipperary farmer, who was "delighted" to see EU Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler come out this week with the strongest ever proposal for switching much of the EU's annual e43 billion subsidy payout from a headage basis to a per hectare basis.

And Joe isn't a lone voice crying in the wilderness. The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association has been a long-time supporter of the area based premiums as a much more suitable way of subsidising their members.