MP raises concerns over impact of 5% cut in direct support to farmers

Following the announcement by the European Commission that they will be reducing direct payments to farmers by 5% in order to meet CAP budget limitations, Cumbrian MP Tim Farron about the huge impact this will have on British farmers.

With predicted expenditure on 2014 direct payments to farmers through CAP higher that the level agrees by the EU heads of state, the European Commission has put forward their proposal to reduce direct payments by just under 5%. This would apply to all applications for direct payment in 2013 which will be paid out in December 2013 from the 2014 budget.

The reduction will not apply to the first €5,000 paid directly to farmers, however Tim is concerned that many farmers could still suffer considerably.

Tim has long been an active campaigner on behalf of hill farmers and currently chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming, which seeks to press the case for hill farmers and ensure that their priorities and needs are constantly in the minds of ministers during the current negotiations in the EU on CAP reform.

Commenting Tim said: "While it is obviously important to meet budgetary requirements it is absolutely essential that we do not do this by forcing our farmers to pay the price. The impact of the 5% cut to direct payments has the potential to be incredibly damaging but if the UK Government is willing to introduce a cut in modulation the damage could be prevented.

"A cut in modulation would help us to ensure that a higher proportion of farm payments goes to hardworking farmes so that they can keep more of their income to invest in their businesses and in protecting our environment and landscape"