CAP vote delay threatens hill farmers
Hard-pressed hill farmers are among thousands of UK producers who could suffer after MEPs delayed an important CAP reform vote.
MEPs are now expected to vote on the reform package in January – drastically tightening the timetable for Brussels to achieve a full CAP agreement next year.
The decision has prompted industry leaders to call for urgent action to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers who rely on agri-environment schemes for vital income.
The NFU estimates that 5,000 farmers, including many upland producers, could be affected if a reformed CAP cannot be agreed in time for 1 January 2014.
NFU senior CAP adviser Gail Soutar said: “Today’s news on the CAP delays must prompt the European Commission into urgent action to safeguard farmers and the environment.”
Delays were not really a problem for the CAP’s Pillar 1 direct support payments, or payments made under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS), said Ms Souter.
“If there is no new rural development regulation agreed, or no transitional rules put in place that rolls-on the current programme, then those farmers will be left stranded.”
Gail Souter, NFU senior CAP adviser
Basic legislation was already in place to allow the SPS to roll on on a year-by-year basis. But the was less straightforward for rural development payments made under the CAP’s Pillar 2.
The rural development programme comes to an end on 31 December 2013. Ms Soutar said: “If there is no new rural development regulation agreed, or no transitional rules put in place that rolls-on the current programme, then those farmers will be left stranded.”
“Farmers, whose agri-environment commitments come to an after the 31 December 2013 deadline, will have no alternative rural development support schemes to apply for.
“In essence those farmers will fall into a policy hiatus.”
Ms Soutar said immediate action was needed to reassure affected farmers and allow them to continue in environment schemes if they wished to do so.
“We know there are more than 5,000 farmers in England alone who are affected,” she said. “Many are located in remote and fragile upland areas.”
“While this latest delay doesn’t necessarily come as any surprise, what it does highlight is the need for the Commission to be realistic in its aims to see a new CAP in place for 1 January 2014.
“This is highly unlikely given the huge task ahead.” The European Commission needed to prepare “transitional” rules and implement those rules in the event that the reform timetable was missed.
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