Disadvantaged area payments, cash for carbon sequestration and a new TAMS are among the key priorities for farm payments in the next CAP, the Irish Farmers Journal can reveal.
A draft document, seen by this newspaper, gives the first glimpse at the Department of Agriculture’s plans for the next CAP.
It sets out priorities for farm schemes and payments over the next seven years.
Supports for farmers in Areas of Natural Constraint (ANCs) to increase their farms’ viability, as well as other extensive farming systems, have been name-checked as a priority.
Officials are planning financial incentives for carbon sequestration and better management of wetlands and peatlands.
Income supports
The document refers explicitly to income supports and succession planning. This could open the door for an early retirement scheme or a broader young farmer scheme.
The draft also hints at priorities for the new REPS scheme, including protecting habitats, addressing biodiversity loss and improving soil fertility.