Northern Irish farmers could receive a basic payment after the UK leaves the EU to ensure continued "farm resilience", it has emerged.
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in Westminster heard of the possible option of a guaranteed minimum payment for Northern Irish farmers.
The Committee is considering the opportunities and challenges for Northern Ireland’s agricultural sector in the light of the UK’s decision to leave the EU.
The idea of a basic payment for Northern Irish farmers stems from an unpublished document from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), seen by Dr Viviane Gravey and Dr Mary Dobbs from Queen’s University, Belfast.
In written evidence to the Committee, Dr Gravey and Dr Dobbs said that while DEFRA has long been opposed to the principle of income support and unwilling to "treat agriculture differently from other sectors", this is not necessarily a position shared by the devolved administrations.
While critical of direct payments, DAERA nevertheless argues that some basic payment could be continued to foster farm resilience, although it "would be at a level significantly below that currently provided under CAP Pillar 1."
However, the department said any further decision on the matter would be "for a future minister to take" as the potential policy is still in draft.
Important industry
The Committee heard how agriculture is extremely important as an industry within Northern Ireland.
Significant numbers are employed directly and indirectly in agri-food production, with around 78,000 employed within farming.
As most of a Northern Irish farmer’s income comes from financial support that comes from the EU, the core farming jobs and many of the related agri-food jobs will be threatened if the financial support is removed.
The Committee heard how the high number of farms in such a small region and the great importance of farming generally to the communities, that any change to the agricultural policy will impact significantly upon the economy, environment and culture.
Dr Gravey and Dr Dobbs wrote that one of the considerable benefits of the CAP financial support packages was the degree of certainty provided to farmers – farmers who invest considerable resources and who without such financial support could be devastated financially.
Defra Secretary Michael Gove has already said farmers, who receive £3bn worth of farm subsidies from the EU every year, will continue to receive the same level until the end of at least 2022.
