No need to panic as CAP review payments are not yet clear
Former ICMSA president Frank Allen said there was no need for panic, as the legal text of the Review has not been finalised yet, and the final decision on how premia payments will be allocated in Ireland will then rest with the Government.
He also pointed out that any changes made now are irrelevant to the reference years of 200, 2001 and 2002, on which each farmer’s future payment entitlements will be based.
Addressing a meeting of Limerick’s County ICMSA Executive, Mr Allen predicted that some farmers will fare particularly badly in the decoupling of EU payments from production. “There is a very good argument to be made, for example, for a special payment for dairy farmers, because they will have very little to get”, he said.
The farmers in question concentrated on milk production, and sold calves or weanlings without claiming premia for them, so they have no premia entitlements going forward.
“For the majority of farmers, it will not be economic to farm without direct support, unless there is a very big increase in prices. Therefore, the situation will be very serious for farmers who have no premia entitlement, or very little”, said Mr Allen. Dan Reardon, Patrickswell, told the meeting dairy farmers face a fight for survival, particularly if they had specialised in milk production.
