The European Commission has been accused of “throwing farmers under the bus” over plans to slash the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget by 20%.
Speaking from Brussels, Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) President Francie Gorman said the proposal would have “significant and negative ramifications” for Irish agriculture and rural life.
“The only definitive figure for farming supports is 20% lower than the current budget,” he said.
“This would be a hammer blow for the sector if it were to go ahead.”
He expressed scepticism about the Commission’s claims that farmers would draw down more money under the proposed changes.
“44% of the €2bn envelope that is allocated to Ireland comes via rural development and farm schemes,” he said.
“If this is not ringfenced, there is no guarantee that it will make its way to farmers.”
He also criticised a proposed measure to remove payments from retired farmers.
“The Commission proposal to take payments away from farmers who are in receipt of a pension is totally unacceptable,” he said.
Gorman warned that the plan could impact food supply across Europe.
“The EU Commission needs to be honest with consumers,” he said.
“Cutting CAP funding will in turn lead to a reduction in food production and ultimately to food price inflation.”
The IFA chief said a “big battle” lay ahead to retrieve “a coherent policy” and called for action from government and MEPs.
“These proposals will have to be approved by the Member States and the EU Parliament,” he said.
“There is a long journey ahead and we will expect a real fight from our Government and MEPs.”
He said Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2026 would be pivotal.
“Our Government has to secure the maximum funding for Irish farmers to encourage the next generation to consider farming as a career,” he said.
“From the Taoiseach down, this has to be front and centre of every discussion across those six months.”
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere also criticised the draft CAP reforms.
“Europe has turned its back on farmers with these misguided proposals,” the Carlow-Kilkenny TD said.
“This is Europe abandoning farmers.”
He continued: “What Europe has proposed is a 20% real-terms cut to CAP.”
“At a time when we’re supposed to be backing farmers more than ever, that is completely unacceptable.”
He said the issue would feature heavily during Ireland’s upcoming Council presidency.
“Fianna Fáil will back our farmers to the hilt in all European negotiations,” he said.
“We will use our influence when Ireland assumes the presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026.”
Cleere said the war in Ukraine had shown the strategic value of farming.
“They are the bedrock of society, plain and simple,” he said.
“The war in Ukraine showed us how important food security is in times of crisis.”
The Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food also raised concerns about the Commission’s plan to integrate CAP into a new National and Regional Partnerships fund.
Committee Chair and Fianna Fáil TD Aindrias Moynihan said the move would remove dedicated farm funding.
“There is significant unease in the farming sector at the prospect that agriculture will no longer have a ringfenced budget,” he said.
“Members have concerns that these proposals will see the financial supports received by the approximately 120,000 Irish farmers annually…being directed away from farming and into other areas,” he said.
Irish MEPs from across the political spectrum also pushed back against the proposal, describing it as a threat to the rural economy and food security.
Midlands North-West MEP Maria Walsh of Fine Gael said the Commission had “made a calculated decision to downgrade the importance of the Common Agricultural Policy.”
“The CAP is a lifeline to farmers across Ireland and the EU,” she said.
“Yet this fact has been ignored by Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin.”
Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly criticised the removal of supports for young farmers.
“How do we make it viable for farmers to stay on the land in those circumstances?” he asked.
Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen said the proposed reforms “fly in the face” of repeated calls to retain the CAP’s existing structure.
“Rolling the CAP into a general fund is not simplification – it’s centralisation and control from Brussels,” he said.
“It strips farmers of the stability they need to invest, innovate and plan for the next generation.”
Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion warned that merging the CAP with other funds “poses a huge threat to the livelihoods of many farmers.”
“At a time of such global turmoil, farmers deserve certainty,” the Ireland South MEP said.
“This proposal will be the opposite and lead to delays and problems…”
The Irish Independent reports that under the European Commission’s new proposals, total funding for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) would drop from €387 billion in the current budget period to €300 billion for 2028–2034. When inflation is factored in, this represents a real-terms reduction of approximately 30%.
The draft budget put forward by the Commission will require unanimous agreement from all EU member states, along with approval by the European Parliament.
At present, Ireland receives close to €2 billion annually through CAP to support its farming and agri-food sectors.
In 2023, Ireland’s contribution to the EU budget stood at €3.6 billion, and this figure is projected to increase to €4.5 billion by 2027.
Minister of State for Agriculture, Martin Heydon, has noted that about 75% of the EU funds returned to the Irish Exchequer come via CAP.
“Of the receipts the Exchequer gets back from what we pay into Europe, 75% comes through the CAP,” he said.