CAP must prioritise pay to productive farmers
ICMSA said the entitlements and payments of active farmers should be protected and prioritised.
Use of significant national funding, and unused CAP funds, to support vulnerable sectors is proposed by IFA.
The IFA Council said Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney cannot move up to 15% of funds between pillars, or take 8% from pillar I for coupled payments.
The council has agreed that not more than 3% of SFP payments, with a matching amount from pillar II, could be used to support vulnerable sectors to improve productivity and viability.
*ICMSA also asked the Minister to minimise any reductions in payments for farmers, particularly for farmers whose total payment is less than €30,000.
The dairy farmers’ group also wants the number of entitlements confined to those established under the current regime.
As far as possible, the rules should not inhibit land mobility, nor increase the cost of renting land.
A strong grants programme, for dairy equipment and on-farm grain storage and handling, was sought in the IFA submission.
IFA president, John Bryan, said “critical to an acceptable outcome to the CAP implementation is national co-financing. I am, again, calling on Minister Coveney to ensure 50:50 co-financing of pillar II payments, with national top-ups, is delivered”.
*The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association is arguing against any further cuts, over those in the CAP reform deal, to the single payment. This means ICSA rules out cuts to fund coupled payments or redistributive payments.
ICSA president, Gabriel Gilmartin, said “ICSA sees no merit in a further 10% cut to the single payment of all farmers, in order to give it back to farmers in the form of coupled payments.”
He said re-coupling would bring extra paperwork, possible quotas, retention periods, and additional inspections — but, above all, would force farmers to maximise stock numbers, which would depress prices.
“Plentiful cattle supplies are ideal for meat factories, but are never in the interest of farmers,” he said.
Also questioning further cuts in payments to beef finishers, because it would ultimately hit store or weanling producer, Gilmartin said “ICSA believes that the best way to benefit suckler and sheep farmers is through targeted measures in pillar 2, aimed at progressive and active farmers whose viability is under threat. Targeted measures should put the emphasis on better quality, and breeding, and should be more oriented to improving herds rather than quantity of animals.”
*The Farm Family Rights Group has called on Minister Coveney to implement the full CAP changes in 2015, rather than phase them in up to 2019.
FFRG wants a cap on the single farm payment, the redistributed payment on the first 32 hectares, a new REPS, and no coupled or stacked payment, except in force majeure cases.
FFRG is staging a rally in support of their CAP policy at 3pm on Sunday, Oct 6, at the Michael Davitt Centre, Straide, Co Mayo.
*Ireland should transfer funds from direct payments to rural development, says CAP expert, Professor Alan Matthews.
There is no obligation on farmers to invest direct payments in additional production, quality, environmental sustainability, or even to maintain production. But the wider range of measures available under pillar 2 bring greater opportunity to encourage meaningful investments.
*Next week: how CAP should be implemented here — the viewpoint of Professor Alan Matthews.
