Billion on table for six years of rural development
However, the funds must for the first time be distributed among 25 member states, and will include a special support fund for semi-subsistence farmers in the 10 new Member States, to help them become competitive.
EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler announced plans last week to boost the next six year round of Brussels aid for rural development from €7bn to €13bn.
IFA President John Dillon said Ireland secured 7.3% of the 2000 to 2006 fund, and has a high uptake of the main schemes, which are REPS, Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, Early Retirement, on-farm investment and forestry.
He called on the Government to secure a significant share in the next programme period to continue an effective and meaningful rural development policy. The major priority, he said, is to ensure our Disadvantaged Areas are protected from last week's proposal to change qualification criteria from socio-economic to natural handicaps.
This could result in some areas in Ireland losing out, warned Mr Dillon. Disadvantaged Areas payments are currently worth €235m to more than 100,000 farmers, in 75% of the country.
The Rural Development proposals will be debated by the EU Ministers over the next 12 months. Mr Dillon welcomed the proposed continuation of REPS type schemes up to 2013, as well as new proposals on Early Retirement, Installation Aid for young farmers, and Investment Aid.
The proposals include giving member states and regions more freedom on how to implement aid programmes, although reinforced control, evaluation and reporting are proposed.
It is proposed that at least 15% of funds be spent nationally on improving competitiveness of farming and forestry, supporting farmers in food quality schemes, setting up young farmers, and supporting farmers in new member states.
The European Commission wants at least 25% spent nationally on environment and land management, including Disadvantaged Area payments based on "natural handicap", Natura 2000 payments (to preserve biodiversity), agri-environment measures, and animal welfare payments. It is proposed that agri-environmental measures will remain compulsory.
The European Commission wants at least 15% spent nationally on improving quality of life and diversification, for example, into non-agricultural activities; support for micro enterprises; encouragement of tourism; and village renewal.
Mr Fischler has also told Ministers each programme must have a LEADER element for the implementation of local development strategies of local action groups.
At least 7% of national programme funding is reserved for LEADER, in the Commission's proposal, and 3% of the overall funding for the period would be kept in reserve and allocated in 2012/13 to member states with the best results.
The Irish Cattle and Sheepfarmers Association was critical of the Brussels proposals, and called for farm spending such as disadvantaged payments, REPS, installation aid and early retirement safeguarded and improved, and more spent on farms to ease the introduction decoupling and on quality suckler breeding, hill sheep farms, and on ways to get better prices for farm produce.
Earlier, ICMSA has expressed serious concern at elements of the leaked proposals, particularly a move to make up to 20% of the Rural Development budget available for off-farm schemes, which ICMSA calculated would take more than €400m from Irish farmers.
