Gildernew launches consultation on roll-out of cap health check policy options

Minister Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA has launched a consultation on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Health Check agreement.

There are several policy issues arising from the recent CAP Health Check agreement where the Department has some discretion in implementation and on which it now seeks the views of stakeholders.

Launching the consultation, the Minister said: “The CAP Health Check has provided a number of significant implementation options on which we have regional flexibility. These include whether we should move to a flat rate Single Farm Payment (SFP), make use of the National Envelope and how we should recycle unused SFP funds. Given the importance of these issues, I am very keen to hear the views of stakeholders before taking decisions. Therefore, I would encourage all stakeholders to make their views known to DARD by taking part in this consultation.”

Additional issues covered in the consultation include the decoupling of the Protein Crop Premium, minimum SFP payment levels and the possibility of excluding SFP claimants who exercise very limited agricultural activity.

The consultation will run until 30 April 2009. A separate consultation has taken place on the method of allocation of additional milk quota.

Notes to Editors:

1. The EU Agriculture Council reached agreement on the CAP Health Check on 20 November 2008 with the subsequent EU legislation being adopted on 19 January 2009.

2. The consultation documents are available on the DARD website www.dardni.gov.uk under “Consultations”.

Responses to this consultation should be sent to:

3. Further information on the CAP Health Check agreement can be found on the EU Commission website at ec.europa.eu/agriculture/healthcheck/index_en.htm.

4. All media queries to DARD Press Office on 028 9052 4619. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Office via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.