The group representing farm organisations and agricultural co-operatives in the EU has said that the new EU Vision for Agriculture and Food is "ambitious", but cannot "ignore the debate" on the budget for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Earlier today, the European Commission released a new document on its vision for European Agriculture in the coming years.

Farm organisation Copa Cogeca (which includes the Irish Farmers' Association among its member groups) said the vision is a "pragmatic reset based on relevant analysis and grounded observations".

However, Copa said it fails to address the issue of the CAP budget and resources needed to finance this package of measures.

"In its assessment of the current situation, the commission appears to have regained its bearings in agricultural policy and is now speaking a different language. The importance of agriculture, its role and vulnerabilities, within the current geopolitical context is now fully acknowledged," Copa said in a statement.

"Farmers are also recognized as entrepreneurs and innovators who play a crucial role in addressing climate challenges, protecting the environment, supporting the bioeconomy, and contributing to society as a whole," the group added.

Copa said the commission has also "correctly diagnosed" the sector’s demographic and economic challenges; and brought the issues of farm income, competitiveness, innovation, cooperation and generational renewal "back to the fore".

"The principle of no bans without viable alternatives for plant protection products is explicitly stated, as is the need for a renewed approach toward the livestock sector," Copa said.

However, the farm organisation also said that the commission's announcement misses a "fundamental part of the equation", namely financing of the CAP in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the EU's long-term budget.

Copa had already warned of "merging funds", and said the announcement today "makes no mention of the CAP budget".

Copa insisted that the "complementarity" between the two pillars of CAP (Pillar I, providing direct payments, and Pillar II, ostensibly providing payments for rural development) must be maintained.

"Ambitions and proposals will amount to little without a robust CAP. One which supports active farmers - regardless the size - and is backed by an increased budget in the post-2027 MFF," the group said.

"This budget must include automatic corrections for inflation and the growing responsibilities placed on agriculture. Without this, Europe’s farming communities will face significant challenges, and the vision for the sector’s future risks becoming a hollow promise," Copa's statement said.

"What we need now is more than just a change in rhetoric. We need to rebuild trust with concrete actions and coherence across all these proposals... The vision is a step forward, but the key ‘enablers’ needed to bring it to life remain to be defined," the statement added.