Companies may lose to ease CAP farm shock

Some high-profile landowners could lose out due to a new rule allowing the Government to close off EU direct payments funded from the CAP to those for whom farming is an insignificant part of their economic activity.

It is one of many options which could be used to ensure national food production is not reduced by last week’s controversial CAP reform measure which transfers €103m per year of payments from 53,471 farmers, who lose 12%, on average, to 60,379 farmers, who gain 35%, on average.

Farming could be deemed insignificant for EU direct payment beneficiaries such as a number of companies in the beef business — and even high profile institutions such as University College Dublin, which got a €66,907.50 direct payment last year.