EU farm payments - A cover-up

THE farmers’ protests over the publication of EU payments were not necessary after all.

At the insistence of the EU, the Department of Agriculture committed to publishing the details of how taxpayers’ money is given to farmers in an exercise in transparency and democracy. If what was to be seen on the department’s website yesterday is their response, they have failed. It is ineffective and does nothing to serve the principles it was supposed to realise.

The farm community may think they have won a victory but in reality they — or the department — have damaged their image once again. This project must be revisited.