Update: Agricultural Policy Review – Agriculture 23rd September, 2014

Parliamentary Question No.264    
 
 
 
 
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the common agricultural policy review has been of benefit to the agri-sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Bernard J. Durkan.
 
 
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 23rd September, 2014.
 
Ref No: 35775/14 Proof: 365
 
 
REPLY
 
The Minister for Agriculture, Food     and the Marine : (Simon Coveney)

The reforms agreed last year to the Common Agricultural Policy set the policy framework for Irish and European agriculture for the period up to 2020 and are of central importance in shaping the future of agriculture policy for the rest of this decade. The outcome has a crucial bearing on the development of the Irish agri-food sector in accordance with the Food Harvest 2020 strategy. It also makes an important contribution to the achievement of the objectives in the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims to deliver smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The changes are consistent with the smart, green, growth objectives of Food Harvest and provide farmers and the agri-food sector with stability and policy certainty to 2020.
 
There were three key aspects to the reforms. First a greater emphasis has been placed on sustainability through the “greening” of direct payments and the requirement to support agri-environment measures in rural development programmes. Second, new and enhanced support is being introduced for young farmers under both pillars on the CAP. Third, the reformed CAP continues the movement towards greater market orientation, through the phasing out of production quotas for key products, the provision of safety-net supports in the case of severe market disturbance and the introduction of flexible measures that can be mobilised promptly and effectively to deal with crises.
 
Already the additional flexibility to manage crises has allowed the EU Commission to introduce additional market support measures to address the effects of the Russian import ban on EU agri-food products. The changes made to the direct payments system, including the provisions on greening, will not come into force until next year but I am convinced that the reforms will help the agri-food sector in Ireland to achieve its full potential. In short, I believe that the reforms agreed last year will underpin sustainable intensification of production in the years ahead, will support environmental stewardship and contribute to the maintenance of a vibrant rural economy.