CAP reform row backfires in the North

CAP reform has run into problems north of the border, with a legal row between Finance Minister Simon Hamilton and Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill over how much to transfer from Pillar 1 to Pillar 2, for rural development projects and farm environment schemes.

England has set a transfer rate of 12%; Scotland 9.5%, and Wales 15%. But there will be zero transfer in the North.

Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill had announced that 7% of Northern Ireland’s £300m a year in agricultural subsidies from the EU would be transferred to rural development.