This article is from page 36 of the 2012-01-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
CLARE farmers could find farming “unworkable” if some of the suggested new CAP reforms are pushed through in their current form. That was the opinion of the ICSA president Gabriel Gilmartin, who warned EU Agriculture Commissioner, Dacian Ciolos, that his proposed reforms of the Common Agriculture Policy were too “revolutionary” and far too disruptive to Irish farming.
Ciolos was in Dublin last week for a number of meeting with the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney (FG) and representatives of the Irish farming organisations.
“While there may be a welcome for a greener, more equitable CAP in theory, ICSA is concerned that, in practice, the Commissioner’s reforms are too revolutionary and will simply be unworkable in Ireland,” he said.
“The moving to a flat rate payment and the introduction of a greening top-up has the potential to severely stunt the growth of successful and productive farms in the country.
“We cannot have a fair reform that imposes severe cuts on family-sized farms. Due to spiralling input costs, the average farmer is now more reliant than ever on their single farm payment (SFP) from the EU.
“Strong factory prices are being counteracted by the rising costs of fuel and other operational costs, therefore excessive cuts in the SFP has the potential to drive farm families out of agriculture.”
Speaking after the visit, Minister Coveney said that he impressed upon the Commissioner the key CAP reform priorities for Ireland.
“The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy will set the policy framework for Irish and EU agriculture, so it is important that we get it right. I have told Commissioner Ciolos today that the first priority from an Irish perspective is to secure the maximum possible funding from the EU budget negotiations in order to provide for a strong and well-resourced CAP,” he said.
“The second priority is to ensure that Ireland’s funding for both direct payments and rural development is maintained at current levels. In addition, we must provide the maximum possible flexibility for Member States to implement the payment models and transitional arrangements that best suit their farming conditions.”
The minister emphasised the commitment of both Ireland and the Commission to sustainable intensification of production, responsible environmental stewardship and the maintenance of a vibrant rural economy.