An Irish MEP has said that the battle for the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget lies within the European Commission.

Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh made the comments after a majority of her colleagues on the European Parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee (AGRI) backed a report on the future of agriculture and the CAP post-2027.

The report was adopted by the committee on Monday (July 7) with 29 MEPs voting in favour, 9 against, and 8 abstentions.

The report comes ahead of the EU Commission unveiling its proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) or long-term EU budget next week.

In tandem, the commission is set to announce proposals on the format of the next CAP.

Maria Walsh, who is a full member of the AGRI committee, welcomed support from MEPs for her amendments to the committee’s report, which was prepared by Spanish MEP Carmen Crespo Diaz.

The Midlands North-West MEP had proposed to increase the CAP budget in line with inflation and introduce an EU-wide mental health in farming strategy.

"The introduction of any other funding model would be a kick in the teeth to our farmers who put food on our table every day," Walsh said.

“MEPs also supported my proposals for an increase in the crisis reserve fund and a new budget for the prevention and eradication of animal diseases.

"Both of these measures will be key to tackling the growing epidemic of bovine tuberculosis (TB) on Irish farms.

“However, the battle for the next CAP budget is not within the parliament - it lies in the halls of power within the Berlaymont [EU Commission] building," she added.

In May, MEP Walsh wrote to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to highlight her concerns surrounding the future of the CAP within the upcoming EU budget.

"I stressed the need to maintain the current two pillar structure - to do otherwise would increase administrative burdens, undermine coherence and risk fragmenting the Single Market.

“After months of speculation, MEPs and farmers alike will finally receive clarity on the future of the CAP in the coming weeks," she said.

MEP Walsh’s proposals called for the following measures to be included in the post-2027 CAP:

A dedicated, separate CAP budget adjusted to inflation;
Support for all types of farming, including part-time, full-time, and family farms;
Support for rural development, including an increase in funding for the LEADER programme;
A stronger budget for the crisis reserve fund in response to natural disasters and animal diseases;
A dedicated CAP budget for the prevention and eradication of animal diseases, risk management and on-farm biosecurity investments;
Increased recognition of mental health issues as a consequence of multiple hardships faced by farmers, along with an EU-wide strategy for mental health in farming;
Boosting generational renewal through, among other tools, proper financial instruments, and collaborative farming arrangements and partnerships;
Tailored support for women in rural areas, to facilitate their entry to the farming sector.

The AGRI report will now be put to a plenary (full) vote of the EU Parliament, possibly during the session running in mid-September.