The Department of Agriculture is still considering how it will treat ‘armchair farmers’ when it defines an active farmer in the next CAP.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that the Department is examining feedback from the public consultation on CAP and is considering the best approach to this issue.

This is “including in the context of whether a farmer in receipt of support is bearing the economic and agricultural risk for the activity on their declared land,” the Minister said.

In the Department’s recent public consultation on the proposed schemes in Ireland’s CAP strategic plan 2023-2027, the minister sought opinions on a number of key definitions, including that of the active farmer.

“While the CAP strategic plan (CSP) is still under development, the draft CSP regulations outline that ‘active farmer’ must be defined in such a way as to ensure that support is granted to farmers engaged in at least a minimum level of agricultural activity,” Minister McConalogue said.