Sinn Fein agriculture and food spokesman Martin Kenny said there should be no cuts to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments for pensioners or part-time farmers.
As part of the Commission’s plan for the next long-term EU budget, known as the Multiannual Financial Framework, it proposes to end farm support payments to farmers once they reach retirement age.
The committee also seeks to direct funds under the upcoming Common Agricultural Policy towards “those who are… Actively producing“Agriculture should be the main activity of the farmer.
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Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny said there was “huge concern” that farmers who receive a pension or have off-farm income could have their basic payments reduced in the next Common Agricultural Policy plan.
Speaking in the Dáil, the Kenny MP urged Agriculture, Food and Marine Minister Martin Haydon to oppose the proposed cuts.
“For a lot of these situations around off-farm income, whether it’s a pension or something else, there has to be a recognition that the vast majority of farmers need off-farm income to make the farm viable. And that’s the reality of it.”
“Suggesting that they will be punished one way or another means that they are punishing agriculture.
“They are doing the direct opposite of what the Common Agricultural Policy is supposed to be about, which is to enhance the possibility that agriculture can prosper, do well, and have a future,” he said.
Minister Haydon admitted that the proposal to exclude farmers receiving pensions from direct payments by 2032 had “caused significant concern among older farmers”.
He pointed out that the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have not yet reached their final position on the European Commission’s proposals.
“My focus in the negotiations will be to ensure that Ireland retains sufficient flexibility to design a CAP that reflects the realities of Irish agriculture and supports family farms,” he said.
“This measure has been proposed by the Commission regarding retirement. I have a different point of view and I am building coalitions with other agriculture ministers who also have a different point of view.
“The same applies to part-time farming. The approach proposed by the committee towards the active farmer I do not agree with,” the minister added.
Generational renewal
Rep. Kenney also said a strategy must be developed centered around generational renewal “that recognizes that the older farmer is part of the farm.”
“Previous situations where farmers felt they had an exclusion order and could not go near the place anymore if they entered into any of these schemes are completely inappropriate,” he said.
Minister Haydon agreed that any approach to generational renewal must have a “fair and balanced distribution of support across the board”.
“We want to learn from the mistakes of the past. The old pension system was a mistake.
“It has driven the older, experienced farmers off the farms completely and replaced them with new farmers. A partnership approach is needed,” he said.
The Minister also noted that around 43% of farmers in Ireland are classified as part-time.
“Part-time farmers are an essential component of the structure and sustainability of Irish agriculture. No final decisions have been made on the future definition of ‘farmer’ in the upcoming Common Agricultural Policy.
“We need to ensure that our approach is fair and balanced and that any future model is practically applicable and will not disproportionately impact productive farms or undermine food production capacity and farm viability,” he said.
