MEP Billy Kelleher has described the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as “not perfect and far from ideal, but immeasurably better” than before.
Kelleher was commenting after the three main legislative files in the CAP reform package – strategic plans (SPR), financing, management and monitoring (FMM) and amending legislation (CMO) – were adopted by MEPs last week.
The Fianna Fáil MEP said:
“The primary function of CAP is to ensure food security, protect farm incomes and develop rural communities.
“Within the three proposals adopted, significant progress was made on all three. The role and importance of CAP in supporting sustainable and vibrant rural economies must not be overlooked as the focus turns to how CAP can deliver for the environment.
“These objectives can and must go hand in hand.”
‘Change is on the way’
Kelleher says that “importantly for Ireland”, additional flexibility has been included in the CAP to allow member state governments to tailor their CAP programmes to their national needs.
“On the issue of making farming more sustainable and enabling it to realise effectively the ambition of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies under the Green Deal, change is on the way,” he continued.
The introduction of eco-schemes to support farmers to protect and enhance biodiversity on their lands is a very welcome development.
“Crucially, and what is being missed by some critics, is that these will be funded by at least 30% of every member states’ direct payments budget. Farmers will now become active participants in the fight against biodiversity loss.”
The MEP said he is disappointed that a majority of MEPs voted for a “hybrid model between compliance and performance”.
“Fianna Fáil MEPs voted strongly in favour of a performance delivery model to remove the box ticking nature of the old CAP.
“The proposal adopted by the parliament will create more bureaucracy and administrative burden for Irish farmers. I hope and trust that, in final negotiations between all three EU negotiations, this is amended – otherwise, it will just result in more red-tape at farm level.”
He added that CAP, like all other EU plans, must adhere to the commitments laid down in the EU’s climate law, including an overall 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.