Macra, Ireland's young farmer and rural youth organisation, has told the European Commissioner for Agriculture that he "must not drop the ball" on supporting productive farmers. It was responding to remarks Christophe Hansen made to Irish agri-sector stakeholders on Thursday, 17 September, the third day of the 2026 National Ploughing Championships in Co. Offaly.

According to Macra, the commissioner stressed his aim of supporting "productive" farmers and "agricultural output". The organisation said it has historically and strongly held that Common Agricultural Policy support should go first to active farmers who produce food, rather than to "those who simply own or manage land".

It wants an active-farmer definition that reflects genuine farming activity and agricultural production, and that would exclude the maintenance of landscape features or topping when carried out in isolation. Support, Macra says, should be targeted at those who bear the risks of running a farm business day to day and managing its finances.

"Owning or managing land is not, in itself, the same as running a productive farm business," said Macra president Josephine O'Neill. "The farmers who are getting up every day to milk cows; feed stock; sow, manage and harvest crops; manage their farms; and make the financial decisions that underpin agricultural production should be at the heart of the future CAP."

Macra also welcomed proposals that would let member states use targeted coupled income support for active food production and farm viability, particularly in the beef and sheep sectors. Production-linked payments, it said, can help young farmers expand, increase livestock numbers and raise productivity while recognising the heavy upfront cost of building a productive herd or flock.

"Those who are actively farming and taking on the risks associated with agricultural production must be recognised in how CAP support is designed and delivered," O'Neill said. The exchange comes as negotiations on the shape of the CAP after 2027 continue in Brussels.

Source: Agriland