Dismayed by attitude of other farm bodies
THE Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association is calling on the Agriculture Minister to ensure the best interests of Irish farmers are represented in the CAP negotiations. Speaking prior to last week’s talks in Brussels, after a meeting between Minister McConalogue and the farming organisations, Sligo-based INHFA national prresident Colm O’Donnell expressed his dismay at a suggestion made by some that the Minister should walk away from the talks.
“It is disappointing that most of our farming organisations continue to work against a deal that delivers for the majority of Irish farmers. The deal currently on the table as outlined to us is a convergence model of 85%, with the option of a front-loaded payment through the Complementary Redistributive Income Support Scheme (CRISS).” “While not ideal, we do acknowledge that it is a move in the right direction,” he said.
Mr O’Donnell said that in assessing the 85% convergence option their analysis of DAFM figures indicated that almost 50,000 farmers would gain with 42,000 seeing no real impact.
“With a front-loaded option included, farmers with high value entitlements with small amounts of hectares would be insulated from the effects of convergence.
“On this basis it is staggering to think that the other organisations which attended the meeting are working against the introduction of a front-loaded option as allowed through the CRISS.
“Many of these organisations have for years championed the need to protect farmers on higher payments but with smaller farm sizes and what they do. First chance they get, they throw them under the bus,” he said. The Cloonacool man said there was the potential through the CRISS to help the sizeable number of farmers with 32ha or less (average farm size).
“A CRISS payment of €80/ha on the first 15ha is possible through a linear cut of 10% of the Pillar 1 budget and the capping of all Pillar 1 payments at €60,000. Even with 85% convergence these farmers would see a Pillar 1 payment of €300/ha,” he said. Stressing the need for a fair redistribution of Pillar 1 payments, the INHFA president said that how this can be best done is through 100% convergence and a front-loaded payment option which would benefit over 60% of farmers.
PICTURED: Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association president Colm O’Donnell.