No National Reserve for 2016 is a huge blow to young farmers - Macra

The announcement by Agriculture Minister Michael Creed that there will be no Basic Payment National Reserve in 2016 is a huge blow to young farmers and again calls into question the government’s commitment to young farmers, says Macra na Feirme.

National President Seán Finan said that, ‘Macra is very disappointed with the decision by Minister Creed - it's a huge blow to young farmers who want to get established in farming and get entitlements through the National Reserve this year’.

Mr Finan continued, ‘Farmers have now established their entitlements and know where they stand in terms of CAP payments for the next few years, yet young farmers and new entrants to the agriculture sector face uncertainty. Young farmers always seem to be the sacrificial lambs when it comes to schemes. We have seen the abolition of Installation Aid in the past and now we are back to a stop-start situation with the National Reserve which is totally unacceptable’.

Macra is now seeking a written commitment from the Minister on the provision of a Basic Payment Young Farmer National Reserve every year for the duration of the current CAP.

Mr Finan concluded, ‘I would urge Minister Creed to honour the programme for government commitments to support the next generation of farmers. The lack of a 2016 National Reserve questions this commitment and we request that the Minister puts a long term strategy in place to fund the Basic Payment National Reserve every year and avoid inconsistency and uncertainty in the implementation of young farmer schemes’.