IFA publishes counter proposals

COUNTER proposals on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and world trade talks were published yesterday by the Irish Farmers’ Association following a National Council meeting in Dublin.

IFA president John Dillon described the association’s position as “providing a sustainable policy for Irish and European farming going forward”.

Mr Dillon said whereas the Fischler proposals would result in the winding down of the CAP with EU payments totally de-coupled from production, IFA’s policy is that CAP supports must be linked to productive farming.

He warned that European Union Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler’s approach of making payments without any link to production is politically unsustainable and would destroy family farming.

The IFA leader said only farmers who remain in production should be entitled to direct payments, reflecting the high cost of production in Europe.

He said the IFA proposals would eliminate the bureaucracy of the current system and give farmers the freedom to respond to market requirements.

Mr Dillon said he was seeking an immediate meeting with Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh in advance of next Monday’s crucial EU Farm Council meeting.

Meanwhile, the ICSA yesterday challenged Minister Walsh to take centre-stage at the negotiations by moving quickly in favour of Commissioner Fischler’s proposals for full de-coupling.

The ICSA general secretary Eddie Punch said the lack of any clear and logical alternative to the full de-coupling as outlined by Fischler, has led to the situation where a disastrous and ill-defined compromise could be forced upon Irish farmers.