A brighter shade of green for Irish farming

In the debate over who gets what from the Cap, little light has been shed on the direction of the policy.

With about €1.3 billion up for grabs annually in direct support payments from the European Union, it is no surprise that a heated debate is raging between farmers about who gets what from the Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) and who might win or lose under the detailed reform proposals of European commissioner Dacian Ciolos.

Visit any mart or gathering of farmers and the chat is about what a neighbour is getting via the “cheque in the post” and whether or not he or she should be getting it.