Farm organisations have called for farm payments to be maintained at their current levels and schemes such as GLAS to be extended if the rollout of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2020) is delayed. This has become an increasingly likely scenario.

The European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee will not vote on its position on the CAP 2020 proposals until April, meaning it will not reach plenary stage until the new Parliament is in place. There will be a further break when the new Commission is chosen later in the year.

Uncertainty

“There is huge uncertainty around the timing of CAP reform. The budgetary issues are there as well,” Irish MEP Mairead McGuinness said, referring to the ongoing European budget negotiations and the €12bn hole being left in it by Brexit.

“People do not need to fear that money will stop flowing. There will be provisions for a layover of the old and new CAP.”

The IFA said “not one cent” can be cut from any farmer’s payments in a rollover scenario.

“If there is no agreement on CAP before 1 January 2021, then there must be a guarantee on full funding for all measures,” IFA president Joe Healy said.

“Farmers in GLAS I must get a year’s extension to ensure no gap between one environment programme and the next.”

ICMSA president Pat McCormack said the remaining 27 member states must increase their EU contribution to make up the €12bn Brexit shortfall.

Farm payments could be hit by stalled CAP negotiations

CAP 2020 delay: farmers call for payments to be maintained

The European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee will not vote on its position on the CAP 2020 proposals until April.