Macra na Feirme’s Policy on CAP Presented to European Young Farmers
15 April 2010
Macra’s delegation led by Kieran McEvoy, chair of the Agricultural Affairs Committee, presented its policy for the reform of the CAP to CEJA, the body representing European young farmers in Brussels on 7th -8th April.
Macra’s policy received broad support from its fellow members of CEJA. In particular there was consensus that a new CAP must be targeted at active farmers and that it must also encourage and facilitate young farmers. The proposal for a single farm payment based upon a rolling reference year, whereby active farmers would be paid related to their level of activity, was received with much interest. Furthermore, Macra reiterated its call for a higher rate of SFP to be paid to the more intensive farmers as they incur greater costs of compliance with environmental and welfare standards compared to less intensive farmers.
Macra also stated that it was opposed to a flat rate SFP payment and this point was debated at length. It was also clear from the meeting that European young farmers strongly favour the inclusion of measures to address the issue of severe price volatility at farm level.
There was general support for the French and Danish proposals to fund a body to promote agriculture and the public goods it delivers to European consumers. Furthermore this body could gather and present information on food production costs and consumption patterns to consumers.
This CEJA working group will formulate a proposal for the European Commission and Parliament over the coming months and Macra will actively participate in this process.
Paolo de Castro, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, addressed the CEJA General Assembly and emphasised the need for a continuing common policy on agriculture. He said that the CAP budget represented only 0.9% of public spending within the EU and that it serves all EU citizens well, not just farmers. He said the European Parliament was in favour of funding the provision of public goods by farmers, ensuring the supply of quality food and maintaining food security.
The Macra delegation was in Brussels on 7th and 8th April for the CEJA General Assembly and the working group on CAP reform. The delegation comprised Kieran McEvoy, Bryan Daniels and Edmond Connolly, CEO Macra.
