Vol. 420 No. 5
61 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the net gain under the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy package agreed to by him on behalf of Ireland to that category of farmer, mostly in the western region, whose average farm size is less than 50 acres and, by modern definition, uneconomic.
As yet, it is not possible to quantify what the benefit of the Common Agricultural Policy reform proposals will be to farmers in particular farm size categories. Clearly, this will depend on the type of enterprise carried on as well as on the size of farm. On an overall basis however, the increase in family farm income in the first full post Common Agricultural Policy reform year, should be of the order of 5 per cent over the 1991 level. The thrust of the Commission's proposals consists of a partial redirection of Community support from price-supports to direct payments to farmers to offset consequential income loss. Such payments, which go directly into farmers pockets, lead to a more equitable distribution of Community support to producers and should in particular benefit the smaller producer.
In addition, the extensification provisions which apply in particular in the beef sector, should mean that the smaller less intensely stocked farms will get the maximum benefit from the headage compensation agreed.
