In its submission on behalf of its 87,000 farmer members to EU farm Commissioner Dacian Ciolos, part of the consultation process ahead of the review of the CAP in 2013, the Irish Farmers Association has highlighted the importance of the multi-functional role of the Common Agriculture Policy for the EU’s 500m citizens, the environment, food producers and society generally.
 
Since becoming President, John Bryan has put the review of the CAP top of his work agenda and will highlight directly in a meeting with Commissioner Ciolos tomorrow the importance of maintaining a fully funded, index linked CAP budget that is directed at active farmers and the productive sector.
 
Speaking from Brussels today where he is defending Ireland’s position on the future of the CAP, he said, “previous reforms of the CAP have addressed many of society’s concerns in relation to the benefits of such supports to agriculture and today European consumers have a sustainable supply of safe, quality food produced within the Community at reasonable prices. The CAP has delivered real value for EU consumers, who now spend 13% of their household budget on food compared with 30% in the early 1980s.”
 
John Bryan said, “However, for the producer, price and income volatility has increased greatly since the 2003 CAP reform. This is due to the decoupling of payments from production, greater exposure to an increasingly liberalised world market and ill-conceived trade deals where the viability of EU farm families is traded off for other questionable gains in financial and other services. The increasing dominance of the retail sector in the food supply chain is also threatening the viability of the European family farm model.”
 
Mr Bryan concluded, “The CAP post-2013 must ensure a better standard of living for farmers and its structures should only be adjusted to preserve the family farm model, address income volatility and to meet new challenges such as climate change.”
 
The Instruments required for the CAP Post 2013 are:

    * A properly funded index-linked CAP budget to achieve the diverse range of CAP priorities;

    * Direct funding support for active farmers to ensure sustainable and viable food production;

    * Agriculture-led Rural Development programmes, which reward farmers for the provision of non-market public goods.

    * Separately funded and effective market support and management measures;

    * Measures to strengthen farmers’ position in the food chain, including regulation of the retail sector, enhanced Producer Groups and increased collaboration at producer level;

    * Simplified payment and cross compliance system, by reducing unnecessary compliance checks on farmers; and

All imports must satisfy EU-equivalent standards on food safety, traceability, animal health and environment