Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue is clear that though there are tough decisions to be made on the next CAP, those decisions are best made in Ireland, not Brussels.
“The idea being forwarded by some that I, as minister, should go over to Europe and allow Europe to set and decide all these things without the opportunity for us to have a full national conversation or consultation about them is erroneous,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
After a collapse in CAP talks last month, a second attempt to clinch a deal will be made at the end of June in Luxembourg.
“It’s important that we do have the opportunity to have discussions and make decisions at national level, whatever they might be,” Minister McConalogue said.
The three main outstanding issues that will affect farm payments are convergence, eco schemes and front-loading.
The European Parliament is applying massive pressure to move towards 100% convergence while the Council of Ministers of which Minister McConalogue is one, has offered a compromise rate of 85%.
“I don’t think any farmer, whether they are gaining or whether they are likely to have their entitlements lowered under convergence, could reasonably argue that it isn’t fair that we have that discussion and conversation, and decision-making capacity at national level,” the minister said.
“Basically that’s my core point here. Regardless of how convergence impacts on you, it’s important we have the opportunity to make those decisions at national level and not have them dictated at European level, given that they do have significant implications for farmers of all types.”
He added that it is important to work “within the realm of reality” and recognise the starting position of both sides.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.
Eco schemes
Eco schemes will be made up of climate and environment measures that are funded from farmers’ direct payments. The minister continues to press for the lowest percentage possible but it looks likely that up to 25% of Pillar I will be ring-fenced for eco schemes.
Minister McConalogue has concerns that without sufficient flexibilities to reallocate unspent funds, money may be returned to Brussels and lost to Irish farmers.
He accepted the need for greater environmental ambition but stressed the important role of direct payments as key income supports for farms.
“The higher the percentage that goes on eco schemes, the more it eats into what has been an anchor support for food production,” the minister said.
“It’s important that, while there will be asks of farmers, eco schemes are structured in a way that are accessible for farmers. So that farmers do apply for it and do take part in it, and there is a return for it but also that we structure it in a way that ensures the farmers can retain the funds.
“My objective will be to minimise any leakage and to keep it to an absolute minimum of Pillar I.”
Front-loading
The European Parliament is pushing for 10% of direct payments to be set aside for mandatory redistribution, which would take the form of front-loaded payments. These payments would be additional top-ups on the first hectares of a farm at a rate and amount decided by member states.
Minister McConalogue said the door is not closed to front-loading payments in Ireland, but it was something that needed to be decided at national level following a conversation with all farmers.
“It’s not something that is reasonable to have a determination already made at European level because again it has different implications for all types of farmers, small and large.
“It’s something that the door should be left open for us to have that national debate or conversation on, as opposed to Europe dictating what should happen.”
With farmers set to take to the streets on Friday to protest CAP reform, Minister McConalogue stressed: “I will be fighting hard for a CAP programme which works for Irish farmers. That there won’t be dictats as to what we must do, that we would have the capacity to make national decisions in consultation with farmers right across the country, on what fits us best.”
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue \ Clive Wasson
Parliament needs a “reality check”
if there is to be a deal
Minister McConalogue laid the blame for the collapse in CAP talks squarely at the door of the European Parliament which needs to “front up” and have “a reality check”.
The minister stressed the importance of reaching a deal at talks later this month.
“I worked hard with my colleagues to try and achieve one at the last Council meeting and it was very disappointing to see that the Parliament didn’t step up to the mark in relation to actually genuinely engaging in a negotiation.
“That really is why the talks ultimately broke down.”
National plans
Minister McConalogue said Parliament would need to acknowledge the role member states have in constructing their own national CAP plans.
“We can’t have Parliament taking an extremist and hardline approach in relation to some of the key issues. There must be compromise on eco schemes, and the flexibility for member states to make decisions around redistribution and convergence.”
Minister to fight
‘tooth and nail’ on
co-financing
Minister McConalogue has said he will fight “tooth and nail” to secure an appropriate level of co-financing for CAP funds. The EU’s contribution to CAP was decided last summer, but member states are allowed to top up rural development funds at a rate of up to 57%.
“I certainly will be fighting tooth and nail at national level in relation to the co-funding allocation and also to ensure that the €1.5bn, which was committed in the programme for government to funding the new flagship environmental scheme, is delivered upon,” the minister said.
He said he would “fully explore and fully develop” every possible funding source for farm schemes to ensure they can deliver an income for farm families.
‘Stable national herd’ central to targets
Climate and the environmental debates are centre stage for agriculture at present, with more CAP funds being channelled towards green spending and the Climate Action Bill moving through the Oireachtas.
Minister McConalogue said there is no indication what emissions reduction target will be set for Irish agriculture in the climate bill but warned meeting it will depend on a stable national herd. “The Ag-Climatise roadmap that I published just before Christmas, which outlines how we can reduce our emissions by 10 to 15% between now and 2030, that’s based on the premise of a stable herd.
“While we have become more carbon-efficient in recent years per unit of output, overall, the increase in the herd as the dairy herd was expanding in recent years has negated that.”
The minister said to reduce the footprint of the sector through efficiency measures there needed to be a stable national herd. He said over the last 18 months there had been a stabilisation, as a slight increase in dairy numbers was offset by a decrease in suckler cow numbers.
“Overall it has been quite stable and it’s important that we do see that stability going forward, because we do need to reducing the footprint of the agri-food sector to make a contribution to national emissions,” Minister McConalogue said.
He stressed there was recognition of the socioeconomic importance of agriculture in the climate bill and the science around biogenic methane having to be taken into account.
“My objective will be to ensure that Irish farming can continue to produce food of the highest possible standards, but alongside that we do take every step and every measure we can to lower the footprint of that food,” the minister said.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue is clear that though there are tough decisions to be made on the next CAP, those decisions are best made in Ireland, not Brussels.
“The idea being forwarded by some that I, as minister, should go over to Europe and allow Europe to set and decide all these things without the opportunity for us to have a full national conversation or consultation about them is erroneous,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
After a collapse in CAP talks last month, a second attempt to clinch a deal will be made at the end of June in Luxembourg.
“It’s important that we do have the opportunity to have discussions and make decisions at national level, whatever they might be,” Minister McConalogue said.
The three main outstanding issues that will affect farm payments are convergence, eco schemes and front-loading.
The European Parliament is applying massive pressure to move towards 100% convergence while the Council of Ministers of which Minister McConalogue is one, has offered a compromise rate of 85%.
“I don’t think any farmer, whether they are gaining or whether they are likely to have their entitlements lowered under convergence, could reasonably argue that it isn’t fair that we have that discussion and conversation, and decision-making capacity at national level,” the minister said.
“Basically that’s my core point here. Regardless of how convergence impacts on you, it’s important we have the opportunity to make those decisions at national level and not have them dictated at European level, given that they do have significant implications for farmers of all types.”
He added that it is important to work “within the realm of reality” and recognise the starting position of both sides.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.
Eco schemes
Eco schemes will be made up of climate and environment measures that are funded from farmers’ direct payments. The minister continues to press for the lowest percentage possible but it looks likely that up to 25% of Pillar I will be ring-fenced for eco schemes.
Minister McConalogue has concerns that without sufficient flexibilities to reallocate unspent funds, money may be returned to Brussels and lost to Irish farmers.
He accepted the need for greater environmental ambition but stressed the important role of direct payments as key income supports for farms.
“The higher the percentage that goes on eco schemes, the more it eats into what has been an anchor support for food production,” the minister said.
“It’s important that, while there will be asks of farmers, eco schemes are structured in a way that are accessible for farmers. So that farmers do apply for it and do take part in it, and there is a return for it but also that we structure it in a way that ensures the farmers can retain the funds.
“My objective will be to minimise any leakage and to keep it to an absolute minimum of Pillar I.”
Front-loading
The European Parliament is pushing for 10% of direct payments to be set aside for mandatory redistribution, which would take the form of front-loaded payments. These payments would be additional top-ups on the first hectares of a farm at a rate and amount decided by member states.
Minister McConalogue said the door is not closed to front-loading payments in Ireland, but it was something that needed to be decided at national level following a conversation with all farmers.
“It’s not something that is reasonable to have a determination already made at European level because again it has different implications for all types of farmers, small and large.
“It’s something that the door should be left open for us to have that national debate or conversation on, as opposed to Europe dictating what should happen.”
With farmers set to take to the streets on Friday to protest CAP reform, Minister McConalogue stressed: “I will be fighting hard for a CAP programme which works for Irish farmers. That there won’t be dictats as to what we must do, that we would have the capacity to make national decisions in consultation with farmers right across the country, on what fits us best.”
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue \ Clive Wasson
Parliament needs a “reality check”
if there is to be a deal
Minister McConalogue laid the blame for the collapse in CAP talks squarely at the door of the European Parliament which needs to “front up” and have “a reality check”.
The minister stressed the importance of reaching a deal at talks later this month.
“I worked hard with my colleagues to try and achieve one at the last Council meeting and it was very disappointing to see that the Parliament didn’t step up to the mark in relation to actually genuinely engaging in a negotiation.
“That really is why the talks ultimately broke down.”
National plans
Minister McConalogue said Parliament would need to acknowledge the role member states have in constructing their own national CAP plans.
“We can’t have Parliament taking an extremist and hardline approach in relation to some of the key issues. There must be compromise on eco schemes, and the flexibility for member states to make decisions around redistribution and convergence.”
Minister to fight
‘tooth and nail’ on
co-financing
Minister McConalogue has said he will fight “tooth and nail” to secure an appropriate level of co-financing for CAP funds. The EU’s contribution to CAP was decided last summer, but member states are allowed to top up rural development funds at a rate of up to 57%.
“I certainly will be fighting tooth and nail at national level in relation to the co-funding allocation and also to ensure that the €1.5bn, which was committed in the programme for government to funding the new flagship environmental scheme, is delivered upon,” the minister said.
He said he would “fully explore and fully develop” every possible funding source for farm schemes to ensure they can deliver an income for farm families.
‘Stable national herd’ central to targets
Climate and the environmental debates are centre stage for agriculture at present, with more CAP funds being channelled towards green spending and the Climate Action Bill moving through the Oireachtas.
Minister McConalogue said there is no indication what emissions reduction target will be set for Irish agriculture in the climate bill but warned meeting it will depend on a stable national herd. “The Ag-Climatise roadmap that I published just before Christmas, which outlines how we can reduce our emissions by 10 to 15% between now and 2030, that’s based on the premise of a stable herd.
“While we have become more carbon-efficient in recent years per unit of output, overall, the increase in the herd as the dairy herd was expanding in recent years has negated that.”
The minister said to reduce the footprint of the sector through efficiency measures there needed to be a stable national herd. He said over the last 18 months there had been a stabilisation, as a slight increase in dairy numbers was offset by a decrease in suckler cow numbers.
“Overall it has been quite stable and it’s important that we do see that stability going forward, because we do need to reducing the footprint of the agri-food sector to make a contribution to national emissions,” Minister McConalogue said.
He stressed there was recognition of the socioeconomic importance of agriculture in the climate bill and the science around biogenic methane having to be taken into account.
“My objective will be to ensure that Irish farming can continue to produce food of the highest possible standards, but alongside that we do take every step and every measure we can to lower the footprint of that food,” the minister said.
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