Funding needed to reach CAP ambitions
NEW Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen has said that appropriate funding should be allocated to match the ambitions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The newly appointed Minister had his first engagement with counterparts throughout the EU in recent days and said, “Ireland has always favoured a strong green ambition in the new CAP.
“The recent Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies have highlighted the direction of travel for European Agriculture,” he added.
“As we move forward, if we are to deliver on the environmental ambition, we must provide the necessary financial support for farmers,” he said.
“The core issue here is the funding provided to support the Common Agricultural Policy. We need to value, support and, most of all, we need to properly fund, the CAP system that enables this to happen.”
Minister Cowen also said that the sector’s strong contribution during the COVID-19 crisi must also be taken into consideration.