There are three vital areas that the Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith must deliver on, in the CAP Health Check according to the IFA president Padraig Walshe.
He said that "there must be no cuts to the Single Farm Payment, and there should be a loosening of milk quota restrictions for Irish dairy farmers, and last but not least, the €30 per ewe maintenance payment for sheep farmers must be delivered on."
Mr Walshe also told the Kilkenny Advertisert/ Carlow First on Tuesday that "the three above issues are vital for the success of farming in Ireland into the immediate future, and I can tell you now that Ireland is totally opposed to any increase in compulsory modulation.
We must remember that a modulation cut to the Single Farm Payment is a direct cut in Irish farmer’s income throughout the country. Already farmers have suffered an initial cut of 3 per cent in their Single Farm Payment from the national reserve, and additional cuts are just not on."
He also wanted to point out that there is already a 5 per cent modulation cut every year taken off every Single Farm Payment over €5,000 and "we farmers will not tolerate any more modulation cuts while looking at millions of euro being literally thrown away on useless projects."
In view of the EU policy to slash dairy product supports Padraig Walshe said that the only option for dairy farmers in Ireland is an increased milk quota and an update of Ireland’s butterfat adjustment.
Mr Walshe concluded by saying that the IFA has made it abundantly clear to Minister Smith that he must deliver the €30 per ewe maintenance payment as well as an additional allowance in hill areas from the CAP Health Check. "It is well recognised across Europe that the sheep sector is in crisis and the €30 maintenance payment is essential to protect its future. It is as simple as that."
