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On the day when a Private Members Bill is being debated in the Senate supporting the Irish Government's opposition to changes to EU farming subsidies, an environmental lobby group is calling on the public to ensure that the debate over the future of farming subsides is not left to the agricultural sector alone.
In a statement issued by Friends of the Irish Environment, Director Tony Lowes says that 'Ireland's opposition to the reform of CAP payments demonstrates "regulatory capture" by the big agricultural interests. This is at the expense of the social, economic, and environmental future of rural Ireland which will lose out if the changes are not brought in.'
'The public is not aware of the stark reality of the fact that they are paying for the entire structure of Irish Agriculture and they have a right to a voice in the debate about the future of farming.'
Teagasc documents that without CAP payments Irish agriculture would have made a loss of about €600 million in 2009. Direct payments - funds that come from the EU amounted to €1.8 billion. [1]
At present payments to Irish farmers are based on how much stock you had in 1999 - 2001. This applies even for those who have moved from beef to other forms of agriculture and now have no stock. On the latest figures available, for example, Beef Baron Larry Goodman received €508,390. [2] 80% of the funds go to 25% of the farmers. [3]
Europe proposes to change the way it provides Irish farmers with subsidies from 2013 onwards by paying a flat rate approx €275 per hectare farmed by 2019.
The FIE statement calls the proposed 'flattening' changes 'a salvation for the farmers on disadvantaged lands in rural Ireland - 70% of Ireland's farm land.'
FIE argues that 'The result of this reversal in payments would be a transforming boost to rural economies with the payments going directly to small farmers and so into local economies, supporting towns and villages, schools, post offices and local shops.'
'It would also ensure the viability of small holdings, whose contribution to biodiversity has itself been calculated as exceeding any product value from increased stock production.' [4]
While the Minister for Agriculture admits that many Member States already have such flat rates or are evolving towards them, he claims that 'the losses would be incurred by more productive farmers' which would have 'undesirable consequences' for the ambitious targets set in Food Harvest 2020. [5]
Objecting to 'the pace and extent of convergence' he is advocating 'approximation' and a 'back-loaded transition process'. He is also opposed to the provision of 30% of the funds for 'greening' which would benefit extensive rural farmers rather than intensive milk and beef production units.
The Senate will today be considering a Private Members Bill that 'Supports the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in continued strong negotiations on CAP Reform in order to maintain Ireland's direct payments and rural development at current levels as a means of best achieving Food Harvest 2020 targets'. [6]
The FIE statement concludes: 'It is vital that the public are informed about Ireland's untenable position. Organizations and lobby groups outside the agriculture sector must bring pressure to bear on the Government to ensure that the CAP reforms are allowed to proceed.'
Verification and further information: Tony Lowes 027 74771 / 087 2176316
More on agricultural policy from FIE
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