Full decoupling of payments welcomed

FULL decoupling of all European Union direct payments to farmers for cattle, sheep and arable crops was announced yesterday by Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh.

The decision to decouple supports from production and replace them with a single farm payment represents a radical policy change under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

It will have a major impact on the country’s 140,000 farmers and on the food processing industry, which has gross output of over €14 billion, exports of nearly €7 billion and 50,000 employees.