Fresh CAP budget cuts planned

Europe’s larger farmers are likely to bear the brunt of the proposed 5 per cent cut in EU spending on agriculture proposed in the latest multi- year budget which begins after Brexit.

With the so-called multiannual financial framework( MFF) setting spending levels for the 2021-27 period, the EU is facing up to a lower overall budget after the UK leaves the union – and the common agricultural policy ( CAP) looks set to be one of the areas hit.

However, speaking after the first round of budg- et negotiations this week, agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan said that Europe’ s small and medium farmers should not be hit in the pocket by the changes – as moves were a foot to“better balance” spending, with the intro - duction of upper ceilings on support payments now looking highly likely.

But as well as cuts to direct support, a reduction in the share of member states’ rural development programme bills paid by the EU is also likely to be on the cards – meaning that governments would have to stump up more or see spending levels curtailed.

Co pa Co ge ca, Europe’ s umbrella group of farming and co - operative groups, immediately condemned the proposal, stating that the proposed budget cuts threatened not only farmers’ livelihoods and vast parts of Europe’s rural areas, but also the deliver y of the EU’ s environmental and social goals.

French agriculture and food minister Stép ha ne T raver condemned the move, terming it “unthinkable”, while the Irish Farmers Association chief, Joe Healy, called on the Taois each, LeoVaradkar, to make an increased CAP budget for Irish farmers a “red line” issue in negotiations.