Farmers not actively working commonages could lose SF payments

A MAJOR threat to hill farmers – ‘built into’ the recent CAP agreement – could have major repercussions for many Connemara farmers, according to Fianna Fáil Agricultural Spokesman, Éamon Ó Cuív.

He said that this ‘major threat’ to hill farmers in the West emerged after he had tabled a Dáil question to Minister Simon Coveney on eligibility rules for farmers not actively farming a commonage but who did farm the enclosed land.

Deputy Ó Cuív said that he further asked the Minister if it was sufficient for a farmer to ensure that his land was maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition to be eligible for the Single Farm Payment.

According to Deputy Ó Cuív, the reply from Minister Coveney made it clear that there was a requirement for a farmer to be ‘active’.

“This means that in the case of marginal type land such as mountain commonages, it involves carrying out ‘minimum activity’, to be defined by each member state.

“This is a very worrying development and one that must be countered at all costs. I am now calling on the farm organisations to press the Minister in relation to this matter and I will continue to put the pressure on the Minister to ensure that hill farmers are not discriminated against in any way,” said Deputy Ó Cuív.

He added that in relation to hill land, it suited many farmers not to farm the commonage because of age and health reasons, as most commonages involved climbing up steep mountains.

“For those farming the mountain, it also suits that not every farmer with a right in a hill, farms the hill, as it ensures reasonable sized flocks for those people that are farming the hills,” he said.

Deputy Ó Cuív said that as long as there was an arrangement and an agreement in place between the commonage shareholders – and as long as the commonage was maintained in a good agricultural and environmental condition – all farmers should be entitled to a single payment on the land.

He accused the Minister of showing his total lack of understanding of hill farming and also his unwillingness to understand the importance of maintaining hill farmers, something that in turn helped to protect a unique rural environment.