Latest news with #CommonAgriculturePolicy
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
'Big battle ahead' on EU supports for farming, IFA warns
The Irish Farmers' Association has warned of a "big battle ahead" for vital EU supports for farming, ahead of the publication of the European Commission's proposals for the next EU budget post-2027 and the next Common Agriculture Policy (Cap). Speaking from Brussels, IFA president Francie Gorman said what was emerging about how farming will be funded from 2027 was "very concerning". 'While we will have to examine the specifics in more detail, it is clear that the EU Commission is downgrading the importance of the Cap and food production to allow for greater spending elsewhere,' he said. 'The Cap is being turned into an environmental and social policy. Support for farmers who are producing the most food is being consistently reduced. The commission seem more interested in finding ways to cut payments to individual farmers rather than support them,' he said. "As it stands, the Cap provides an annual injection of nearly €2bn into our rural economy to support food production. 'At a time when Ireland is a net contributor to the overall EU budget, this level of investment in every parish takes on even more significance. Cap has been the cornerstone of the multi-billion export sector that underpins thousands of jobs in regions far from the urban centres,' he said. The EU Commission also needs to be honest with consumers. Cutting Cap funding will reduce food production and lead to food price inflation. 'These proposals will have to be approved by the member states and the EU Parliament, so there is a long journey ahead and we will expect a real fight from our Government and MEPs. 'The EU presidency, which Ireland will assume this time next year for the second half of 2026, takes on added importance. Our Government has to secure the maximum funding for Irish farmers to encourage the next generation to consider farming as a career. "From the Taoiseach down, this has to be front and centre of every discussion across those six months,' he said. Commenting, agriculture minister Martin Heydon said: 'These are complex legislative proposals which will need detailed consideration. The commission is proposing major changes in structure that we will now study in detail in order to better understand the impact on Ireland. 'This publication is just the beginning of a protracted process. Member states will, through the Council of Ministers, begin the process of agreeing a general approach to the commission's proposals, before engaging in line-by-line negotiations with the EU Parliament and the EU Commission. "This will take some time, and I fully expect the progression of these proposals to be a significant feature of Ireland's presidency of the EU Council in the second half of next year.' The minister will host the first meeting of Ireland's Cap consultative committee on Thursday, which will engage in detail on these proposals. Read More Agricultural output price index up 20.7% in the 12 months to May
Euractiv
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
German states unite against EU ‘superfund' plan to absorb CAP
Germany's federal states have united behind a common stance on EU farm policy reform, strengthening Berlin's position ahead of crucial negotiations in Brussels. In a joint resolution, the agriculture ministers of Germany's 16 federal states set out six core demands focused on financial stability, subsidiarity, and the simplification of EU rules. The ministers – nine from the conservative Christian Democrats, three each from the Greens and the Social Democrats (SPD) – met in Berlin on Thursday and, together with Federal Minister Alois Rainer, endorsed a joint resolution to send to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen. Presenting the demands, Peter Hauk, meeting chair and Baden-Württemberg's conservative minister, warned Brussels against merging the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) into a "larger 'super fund' alongside other policy areas". "In our view, it would be entirely the wrong path for European farmers." Rainer also welcomed the consensus: 'The fact that we were able to reach a unified position today is incredibly important. It sends a strong and clear signal from Germany to Brussels,' he told a press conference. From Berlin with love The federal states called for predictable EU funding and greater flexibility in how CAP money is spent, arguing that one-size-fits-all rules fail to reflect Germany's diverse agricultural regions. They urged stronger support for direct payments and rural development funding (EAFRD) to support income stability, biodiversity, and small-scale, regionally rooted farms. They also underlined the importance of robust rural development policy, citing agriculture's role in environmental protection, regional cohesion, and climate action. Simplification also featured prominently in the resolution. The ministers criticised the complex bureaucracy surrounding the CAP, called for performance-based support – particularly for environmental, climate, and animal welfare measures – and advocated updating good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC) and conditionality standards. The resolution also called for early and meaningful involvement of member states and regions in shaping the future CAP, to ensure effective implementation on the ground. Only the Greens broke the otherwise united front. 'I would also have liked to see a clear commitment to initiatives such as the Farm-to-Fork Strategy – for example, reducing pesticide use, antibiotic use, and food waste," said Miriam Staudte, Lower Saxony's Green agriculture minister. National budget context Meanwhile, Germany's federal government is proposing a slight cut to domestic farm spending. On Tuesday, the Bundestag held its first reading of the agriculture ministry's draft 2025 budget . The draft budget foresees €6.88 billion the ministry, down from €6.93 billion in 2024. However, funding for livestock farming reform is set to increase by €50 million, to €200 million. (adm, de)
Agriland
09-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
€17.8m awarded to ‘environmental sustainability' projects
Eleven projects focused on the theme of 'environmental sustainability' have secured new funding worth €17.8 million, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine confirmed today (Friday, May 9). According to DAFM the projects secured the funding under under the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan 2023-2027. EIP projects are usually locally-led schemes which are designed and implemented by 'collaborative groups' which could include farmers, scientists, ecologists and other experts to deliver specific goals. These projects aim to 'road test' new ideas and practices which can then be adopted by farmers to 'improve productivity and enhance resource efficiency'. Sustainability The new 11 projects will run for periods of between four and five years and cover a broad range of topics across a wide geographical region and specifically focus on 'upscaling environmentally sustainable solutions to challenges faced by farmers'. These projects, include one from Regen Ireland, that aims to support dairy, beef, sheep and tillage farmers across the country 'transition to regenerative agriculture', this will be supported with funding totaling €1,756,600. Other projects include one that will promote the 'adoption of innovative mechanical and thermal weed control technology on organic farms' which has received €1,562,461 in funding and one that aims to 'connect old and new farming technologies to conserve the unique species-rich karst grassland of County Roscommon' which has secured grant funding of €1,600,000. The South West Mayo Development Company has also received €1,749,481 to 'develop, demonstrate and then replicate management and restoration actions in a commonage context'. Another project, 'titled Upper Erne Separate Our Slurry, Save Our Soil EIP' has also received €1,669,259 to 'address critical challenges associated with slurry management in the Erne Catchment area'. The EIP initiative is co-funded by the European Commission and also the Irish government under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
