Macra na Feirme has said that the approval of Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan by the European Commission this week only highlights the “dismal display of support for young farmers”.

Yesterday (Wednesday, August 31), the commission approved the CAP Strategic Plans for Ireland and six other countries starting in 2022.

Under the reformed policy, one of the key objectives was to support generational renewal in agriculture across the EU.

Macra said that the EU Commission’s needs analysis highlighted that generational renewal is one of the main challenges facing agriculture across the EU, and outlined how it is essential for the agriculture sector to stay competitive and increase its attractiveness in rural areas.  

CAP funding for young farmers

In Ireland, under the current CAP, Macra said that large funding amounts are allocated to support young farmers in the form of Basic Payments, National Reserve and funding under the Rural Development fund for Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).

Under the new CAP due to commence in 2023, Ireland plans to allocate funding under the same headings with small variations.

According to Macra, the number of active young farmers has remained static since 2010 when 6% of farmers were classed as young farmers. In 2021 the number of active young farmers remains in the region of 6%.  

“It beggars belief as to how the Irish Department of Agriculture [Food and the Marine], and the EU Commission think that doing the same and less, when inflation is considered, will result in more active young farmers in 2027,” Macra president, John Keane said.

“Of the total funding of €120 billion for the period 2023-2027 approved for the seven countries, €3 billion will directly reach young farmers. 

“This represents 2.5% of the total budget allocated to young farmers, which reflects similar levels to that previously spent on young farmer support,” Keane added.

“Approving 2.5% of total funds to young farmers in these seven CAP plans is a dismal display of support for the future of farming.”