ECAP proposals adjusted to Irish needs

DAIRY farmers who did not make annual Area Aid applications were among those reassured this week by concessions which Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh said he had obtained in advance of this week's Council of Europe negotiations on CAP reforms.

Some 2,000 Irish milk producers would never be able to sell their decoupled Dairy Cow Premia, proposed to begin in 2004, because they did not have Area Aid applications on which to base premia.

But it has now been agreed to base their entitlements on 2004 forage area, if the their decoupled Dairy Cow Premia are agreed by the Council of Ministers.