Agreement on Partial Negotiating Position Will Be Hollow Without Proper Funding – IFA

Following the announcement of the council of Agrifish Ministers reaching a partial general agreement on the Common Agricultural Policy Proposal in Luxembourg, IFA President Francie Gorman said that the agreement was primarily achieved by giving member states more flexibility.

“This ‘partial general agreement’ has left many of the issues to Member States. Without a proper budget it will mean nothing. The EU Budget (MFF) proposal put forward by the Irish Presidency, will see a 24% cut in payments to Irish farmers. If the budget doesn’t change then this partial agreement will be hollow,” Francie Gorman said.

“In fact, some of the changes agreed tonight could make more items eligible for the proposed ring-fenced amount for the CAP,” he said.

“Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon must communicate immediately the Irish Governments plans to resolve the budgetary issues relating to the next CAP programming period starting in 2028,” the IFA President added.

IFA’s CAP Hub remains live for farmers to input their details and understand what the CAP proposals on the table could mean for their businesses.

“We remain engaged with all negotiators responsible for the next CAP and MFF both in Brussels and in Dublin, and our campaign will continue to highlight the damage a reduced CAP budget could mean for farm families and rural Ireland,” Francie Gorman concluded.