CAP proposal will downgrade food production, says IFA

Plan to merge the CAP’s current two-pillar structure into one fund

The minister for agriculture, food and the marine, Martin Heydon said the complex legislative proposals will need detailed consideration. 

Farming groups in Ireland and across Europe have criticised EU plans to overhaul the Common Agricultural Payment (CAP) system under new reforms, saying the key farm payment was being downgraded.

Under new budget proposals, Brussels is set to propose capping the EU subsidies a single farmer can receive each year, in an attempt to redistribute the bloc’s massive farming subsidies in favour of smaller businesses.