The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the vehicle which has delivered EU support for farmers since its foundation. Its core principle at the outset was to enable Europe produce sufficient food to feed its population at an affordable price. Rationing and scarcity was still a reality in many European countries in the years after the war ended.

Evolution of the CAP

The CAP has evolved with regular reforms. Most significant were the reforms of former Commissioner for Agriculture Ray McSharry in 1992, which moved from market support buying to direct farmer payments. This was followed in 2005 by Commissioner Franz Fischler’s removal of a production link to farmer payments, or decoupling as it is known. Now current Commissioner Phil Hogan has launched a consultation for a further reform to take effect from 2020.

More than 20,000 responses

Already there have been more than 20,000 responses. There is no breakdown of who has responded but it is important for Irish farmers to make their views known, and not just rely on the farm organisations who will be submitting responses on behalf of their members. Individual farmers and indeed anyone with an interest in farming and the environment should take the opportunity to have their say.

How to complete the consultation

The consultation is an 18-page document with 34 questions. These are a mix of multiple choice where a box has to be ticked and others where you are invited to write your views in your own words. It has to be completed online – to get started, click here.

It is broken down into five sections:

  • A – About you.
  • B – Agriculture, rural areas and the CAP today.
  • C – Objectives and governance.
  • D – Agriculture, rural areas and the CAP tomorrow.
  • E – Wrap up: modernisation and simplification.

    • Section A

    Just click in the blank circle beside Ireland or UK for readers in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

    Individual farmer readers will be replying in an individual or personal capacity.

    Click on “save as draft” and then click on “next”, which moves to next page, where the formal questions begin.

    Section B

  • Question 1 – There are six choices on challenges for EU agriculture and rural areas from which you have to pick your three top priorities.
  • Question 2 – Nine options on CAP policy tools are offered from which you chose five and click in five boxes opposite your preference.
  • Question 3 – Click on one answer out of five choices.
  • Question 4 – Click on up to three of the eight choices offered.
  • Question 5 – Click on one only.
  • Question 6 – Eight possibilities are offered, click on up to three choices out of the eight.
  • Question 7 – Click on one of the five options offered.
  • Question 8 – Eleven issues are presented as the barrier to getting into farming. You are invited to click on up to five of these.
  • Question 9 – Click on up to five out of the 10 options offered.
  • Question 10 – This has six sub-sections where you are invited to pick one of four options for each on how you feel about the farm advisory service.
  • Question 11 – Same style as 10, one choice to click out of four on how you feel for the five sub-questions.
  • Question 12 – This is the first opportunity to communicate in your own words what you think. You have 1,500 characters – letters, spaces, commas and full stops. As you type in the box, it will tell you how many you have left. As an indication, I have used 1332 characters between Question 1 and this point.
  • Question 13 – Same style as question 12. Now save and move on to the next page.

    • Section C

  • Question 14 – Click on up to three from six options.
  • Question15 – Click on up to five from nine options.
  • Question 16 – Write your own thoughts using up to 1,500 characters as in question 12.
  • Question 17 – Click on one answer that best reflects what you think for each of the six sub-questions.
  • Question 18 – Same style as question 17, then click save as and next to move on to Section D.

    • Section D

  • Question 19 – Five sub-questions; click on the one answer that you agree with most.
  • Question 20 – Same as question 19, chose one answer that reflects your thinking for each of the five sub-questions.
  • Question 21 – Click on up to five of the 10 options offered.
  • Question 22 – Click on three from six options.
  • Question 23 – Click on three from nine options presented.
  • Question 24 – Four sub-questions; click on one of the five options for each that reflects your position.
  • Question 25 & 26 – Click on up to three of the seven options presented for each question.
  • Question 28 – Click on up to five out of the 12 options offered.
  • Question 29 – Click on three from eight options offered.
  • Question 30 – Click on three from six choices offered, click on save as and then click on next.

    • Section E

  • Question 31 – Five sub-questions, click on one of the five options offered for each that reflects your view.
  • Questions 32 & 33 – You are invited to write your thoughts, using up to 1,500 characters as explained earlier.
  • Question 34 – This is where you have the opportunity to write your own thoughts in a separate document and attach it to the consultation. You have up to five pages, which is up to 3,000 words. It isn’t essential to write all this if you can make your points in less.

    • When you have finished click save as and submit, not forgetting to attach your document that answers question 34.

    Read more

    CAP consultation has to be about what type of food we want