'Big battle ahead' on EU supports for farming, IFA warns

Speaking ahead of the publication of the European Commission's proposals for the next EU budget and the next Common Agriculture Policy, IFA president Francie Gorman said what was emerging about how farming will be funded from 2027 was 'very concerning'

'It is clear that the EU Commission is downgrading the importance of the Cap and food production to allow for greater spending elsewhere,' IFA president Francie Gorman said. File picture: Denis Minihane

The Irish Farmers' Association has warned of a "big battle ahead" for vital EU supports for farming, ahead of the publication of the European Commission's proposals for the next EU budget post-2027 and the next Common Agriculture Policy (Cap).

Speaking from Brussels, IFA president Francie Gorman said what was emerging about how farming will be funded from 2027 was "very concerning".

“While we will have to examine the specifics in more detail, it is clear that the EU Commission is downgrading the importance of the Cap and food production to allow for greater spending elsewhere,” he said.

“The Cap is being turned into an environmental and social policy. Support for farmers who are producing the most food is being consistently reduced. The commission seem more interested in finding ways to cut payments to individual farmers rather than support them,” he said.

"As it stands, the Cap provides an annual injection of nearly €2bn into our rural economy to support food production.

“At a time when Ireland is a net contributor to the overall EU budget, this level of investment in every parish takes on even more significance. Cap has been the cornerstone of the multi-billion export sector that underpins thousands of jobs in regions far from the urban centres,” he said.

The EU Commission also needs to be honest with consumers. Cutting Cap funding will reduce food production and lead to food price inflation.

“These proposals will have to be approved by the member states and the EU Parliament, so there is a long journey ahead and we will expect a real fight from our Government and MEPs.

“The EU presidency, which Ireland will assume this time next year for the second half of 2026, takes on added importance. Our Government has to secure the maximum funding for Irish farmers to encourage the next generation to consider farming as a career. 

"From the Taoiseach down, this has to be front and centre of every discussion across those six months,” he said.

Commenting, agriculture minister Martin Heydon said: “These are complex legislative proposals which will need detailed consideration. The commission is proposing major changes in structure that we will now study in detail in order to better understand the impact on Ireland.

“This publication is just the beginning of a protracted process. Member states will, through the Council of Ministers, begin the process of agreeing a general approach to the commission’s proposals, before engaging in line-by-line negotiations with the EU Parliament and the EU Commission. 

"This will take some time, and I fully expect the progression of these proposals to be a significant feature of Ireland’s presidency of the EU Council in the second half of next year.”

The minister will host the first meeting of Ireland’s Cap consultative committee on Thursday, which will engage in detail on these proposals.