CAP has transitioned from a food security to an environmental scheme, Kilkenny dairy farmer Jim Mulhall has said.

“CAP has morphed into an environmental scheme - pillar one and pillar two are both now environmental asks,” he said.

Mulhall, who is also vice-chair of Agri Aware, added that while the environment is an important part of CAP, the “economic sustainability of farms is of fundamental importance”.

“We have to sell something to earn our living. If we’re impeded in selling, in the amount that we produce, that impedes my ability to make a living, make my repayments, pay my suppliers and all that sort of thing,” he said.

Policy change

Speaking at the Agricultural Science Association (ASA) conference last week, Mulhall added that this change in agricultural policy in recent years has created “a huge level of frustration” among farmers.

“We’ve seen there’s been a reduction in nitrogen. We’ve seen that we have to feed less protein to our cows. Our genetics and our cows are starting to change, which has created a serious challenge for our co-op, our processor.

“All of a sudden, we’re not meant to maximise out our stainless steel. That’s created a challenge and it’s created a huge level of frustration amongst farmers like myself, who are depending on farming entirely for a living. That’s what put tractors on the streets of Europe earlier on in the year,” he said.