FFRG want front loading of single farm payment

Smaller-scale family farmers have backed the front-loaded option for the single farm payment in the Irish implementation in 2015 of the CAP reform.

The first 32 hectares would receive the maximum rate, and a declining scale thereafter, to give smaller farmers a chance, said Farm Family Rights Group (FFRG) chairman Donie Shine at the group’s rally last Sunday at the Michael Davitt Museum, Straide, Co Mayo.

Among the other speakers were Deputy ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Deputy Colm Keaveney and MEP Marian Harkin.

FFRG wants Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to implement the full CAP changes in 2015, rather than phase them in up to 2019, and to include a cap on the single farm payment, the redistributed (front-loaded) payment of €500 per hectare for all active farmers on the first 32 hectares, a new REPS, and no coupled or stacked payment, except in force majeure cases.