Reforms a threat to life on the land

IRISH agriculture will face its biggest upheaval since joining the European Union if radical Common Agriculture Policy reforms to be announced later today are adopted.

An Irish Farmers Association spokesman warned last night that the proposals from Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler were so far-reaching they could “be the death knell of EU support for farmers as we know it”.

Beef income could be hit by as much as 20% in the first year if the proposals to shift income support to a single payment, based on farm size and historic receipts, are adopted.