CAP must deliver 'higher income support' for young farmers - Irish MEP
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) needs to deliver "higher income support for young farmers" and improved access to land and finance, according to one MEP who today (Tuesday, May 6) has set out a new CAP reform plan.
The Fianna Fáil MEP for the Midlands North-West and member of the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), Barry Cowen, today published a new position paper outlining his "vision" for the future of European farming and the next CAP post-2027.
In the paper the MEP and former minister for agriculture calls for a major increase in CAP funding in the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
He also warns that "failure to adjust for inflation could erode over half the CAP’s real value by 2034 - representing a €250 billion shortfall".
According to Cowen, against the backdrop of a "new era of heightened security concerns" food security should be recognised as a core pillar of Europe's strategic defence, with agriculture deserving a "protected share of broader security spending".
In the paper released today, the MEP also proposes "stronger financial and policy tools to address generational renewal".
He believes this poses an "existential threat" to farming and rural communities.
The MEP has also highlighted the ongoing calls across Europe for "major simplification" across CAP delivery including reducing administrative burdens on farmers which he says is a major issue for Irish farmers also.
Cowen added: "This position paper reflects months of engagement with stakeholders across Europe - farmers, young entrants, producer organisations, innovators, environmental experts and policymakers.
"It is shaped by their insights and driven by a belief that we can deliver a CAP post-2027 that strengthens farming and rural life while meeting environmental and food security challenges.
"A resilient, productive agricultural sector is not just an economic asset - it is a strategic imperative. That is why we must halt the erosion of CAP funding and give farming the status it deserves".
According to the Fianna Fáil MEP for the Midlands North-West, a "third, voluntary environmental pillar" should be introduced in CAP which he believes would put "logic and trust back into the system".
"It’s a chance to support the farmers doing the most for sustainability - with tailored schemes that provide real rewards, not red tape.
"Simplification is no longer optional. Farmers expect less bureaucracy and more clarity.
"Any political representative who campaigned last year knows this was the farming community’s overriding message. The next CAP must allow them to focus on what they do best," he added.
Cowen said he plans to use his position paper as the basis for negotiations in the European Parliament, "aiming to shape both the committee’s draft and the final plenary recommendations".
