Macra na Feirme calls for a paradigm shift in CAP Post 2020 to address the needs of young farmers and active farmers
MACRA na Feirme has proposed ambitious changes to CAP post-2020 to address structural, competitive and generational challenges in Irish farming. Following and extensive consultation with a thousand young farmers countrywide, Macra na Feirme was the first Irish and European farm organisation to develop a publically available policy document on the Common Agricultural Policy post-2020.
Macra na Feirme National President James Healy said, ‘If we are to be successful in tackling the demographic and structural challenges in Irish agriculture a paradigm shift in CAP post-2020 is required, including young farmer proofing of all aspects of the CAP’.
To address the lack of young farmers in our industry, Macra na Feirme is calling for a minimum of 10% of the total CAP budget be dedicated towards generational renewal and young farmer measures.
The Macra na Feirme and FBD Trust Land Mobility Service continues to grow from strength to strength and in this document supporting access to land and the land mobility service through the Rural Development Program, along with the introduction of a farm succession plans that encourages older farmers to collaborative with younger farmers is outlined in detail.
The Macra na Feirme policy paper also contains proposed changes to the young farmer and active farmer definitions including the abolition of the ‘five-year-rule’ for young farmers and suggested changes to the active farmer definition to ensure payments are targeted at active farmers.
On CAP direct payments Macra na Feirme does not favour the outdated method of historical reference year payments which are a barrier to young farmers. The organisation proposes a new four-way budgetary spilt for direct payments, with 40% targeted at economic viability, 30% at climate change and environment, 20% at farm business development measures and 10% at young farmers.
For young farmers to offset establishment costs, the Macra na Feirme policy contains details of a mandatory start-up aid package. Start-up aid would be available for vouched expenditure and necessary capital inputs and investments at establishment. Once established, Macra na Feirme is calling for mandatory young farmer top-ups for all those up to the age of 40, that meet the young farmer definition criteria as well as a continuously funded National Reserve to provide young farmers under the age of 40 with national average payments.
The introduction of financial instruments to make alternative sources of credit available along with addressing market failures, a new voucher system for knowledge transfer, result-based environmental schemes, farmer health, safety and wellbeing and farm improvement measures such as a grazing infrastructure scheme among others are presented in the document.
Finally, Macra na Feirme makes the case for a budgetary increase for CAP.