The minister should not be bullied into walking away from a CAP deal that protects the majority of Irish farmers, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has said.

INHFA president Colm O’Donnell said he was dismayed at suggestions from some farm organisations that Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue should walk away from talks.

“The deal currently on the table as outlined to us is a convergence model of 85%, with the option of a front-loaded payment through the Complementary Redistributive Income Support Scheme (CRISS).”

Right direction

“While not ideal, we do acknowledge that it is a move in the right direction,” O’Donnell said.

INHFA analysis indicates that almost 50,000 farmers would gain through 85% convergence, with 42,000 farmers seeing no real impact.

“With a front-loaded option included, farmers with high-value entitlements with small amounts of hectares would be insulated from the effects of convergence,” O’Donnell said.

He added it was staggering to think that other organisations who attended a meeting with the minister were working against the introduction of front-loaded payments.

First chance they get, they throw them under the bus

“Many of these organisations have for years championed the need to protect farmers on higher payments but with smaller farm sizes and what do they do? First chance they get, they throw them under the bus,” O’Donnell said.

The INHFA believes front-loaded payments have the potential to help a sizeable number of farmers with 32ha or less.

“A CRISS payment of €80/ha on the first 15ha is possible through a linear cut of 10% of the Pillar 1 budget and the capping of all payments at €60,000. Even with 85% convergence these farmers would see a payment of €300/ha,” O’Donnell said.

The INHFA president said the best way to ensure a fair distribution of payments was 100% convergence with a front-loaded payment. He said this would benefit over 60% of farmers.