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Forum Member
 
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 01/06/2010 11:16:22
Posts: 37,
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Question : how did the EU help farmers in ireland?
Answer:
Ireland has been, and continues to be one of the largest recipients of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds.
Here are some examples of EU support to the farming industry
* EU grants and subsidies to support farmers income and ensure their livelihoods
* Guaranteed prices for farm produce so they can compete in international and domestic markets
* The EU also provides assistance for farmers in other ways, for example:
o Training in new farming techniques
o Helping young farmers get started
o Assisting older farmers with retirement
o Modernising buildings and machinery
o Helping establish food processing facilities on farms
Also, the EU has also launched – and co-funded with the Irish government – a number of schemes to diversify the agriculture industry and make it more sustainable.
More money is being made available to encourage Irish farmers to make more environmentally-friendly use of their land. Organic farming gets extra funding to help Ireland diversify the quality of its natural produce.
Looking forward the Rural Development Policy for 2007-2013 will concentrate on the following areas:
* Improving agricultural competitiveness
* The EU wants our farms to be more diverse, innovative, eco-friendly and dynamic. Ultimately, our farms should become more competitive and less reliable on CAP payouts and other subsidies.
* Environment and land management
* The EU will focus more on making the best use of the countryside and promoting better practices in relation to food safety, animal welfare and environmental friendliness.
* Economic diversification and quality of life
* More grants and schemes, like the Leader programme and the European Agricultural Fund, are becoming available. These encourage our farmers to invest in their land in order to diversify our farming industry and make the countryside more environmentally friendly, helping to boost tourism and eco-farming.
For more information on CAP, the department of agriculture has a dedicated webpage: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/agri-foodindustry/euinternationalpolicy/commonagriculturalpolicycap/capexplained/
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