Plans to use 2015 as the new single farm payment reference year have been described as “a disaster for active farmers locally” by local TD Denis Naughten.
“If such a proposal is included in the final reform of CAP then farmers with substantial single farm payments under the current system in the South and East of the country will just out-bid local farmers to buy up rights to the payments over the next six years,” stated Denis Naughten.
“While everybody accepts that the current historical model has to be replaced, a reference date two years from now will push many local farmers to the edge of viability.
“A far more sensible approach, which would remove the anomalies of a historic system, would be a rolling reference year with payments connected to production activity of the previous years.
“This may not be simple to implement but such a system, with inbuilt flexibility to protect those who may see a significant drop in income due to circumstances outside their control, would be a far more balanced approach than a reference year in the future.
“Allowing 2015 to be the reference year in the Irish context is just the same as stating that the single farm payment for the next six years will be given to the farmer with the biggest cheque book. In the longer term no-one will benefit from such a move,” concluded Denis Naughten.
Share this