TDs, senators back farmers in Common Agricultural Policy land eligibility row
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine members called this week for talks between farm organisations, farm consultants, and officials from the relevant Government Departments, to ensure greater clarity on the eligibility of marginal land.
Representatives from the Irish Farmers’ Association, the Agricultural Consultants Association, Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, and Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association told the Committee that the eligibility of land for EU payments is highly subjective, with farm advisors, Department inspectors and EU auditors often differing in how they determine levels of farm activity on marginal land.
“We therefore take on board calls that a margin for tolerance must be built into the process, particularly considering the adverse impact of retrospective penalties on farmers,”, said the Committee Chairman, Wicklow Fine Gael TD Andrew Doyle.
“The Committee fully agrees on the necessity for clear guidelines for farmers and planners regarding eligibility and, with this in mind, is calling for a working group comprising all stakeholders to be established.”
“Fundamentally, hundreds of millions of euros of European taxpayers’ money has been earmarked for Ireland annually, and it would run completely against the spirit of the EU’s environmental programmes should farmers be forced to abandon their land as a result of this uncertainty. Acknowledging the time constraints in what is a crucial year for CAP payment recipients, the Committee sees that a broad consensus on workable guidelines is still achievable in the next seven weeks.
Farmers must apply for their 2015 EU payments by May 29.
“This meeting was a valuable first step in this process, in allowing key stakeholders place their perspectives and concerns on the public record, with a view to generating a momentum that will deliver practical solutions for farmers on marginal land,”, said Mr Doyle
