A LOCAL Fine Gael councillor has warned of ‘war in the countryside’ if the EU attempts to prevent old age pensioners from drawing down farm  support payments.

Headford councillor and farmer, Andrew Reddington, said that many of those farmers living in the West of Ireland only received a small payment which was one of their main supports during the current cost of living crisis.

“I can tell you, let Europe try and stop a farmer who is keeping 20 bullocks and who is contributing to society from getting a farm payment because he is 66, and that’s when war will start in the countryside,” Cllr. Reddington said in a statement issued this week.

He added that over the past week he had spoken to Midlands-North-West Fine Gael MEP, Maria Walsh, and outlined the impact of targeting pensioners in relation to farm support payments.

He added that if a farm retirement scheme was introduced, it must be well-funded to support farmers who want to retire.

“The remaining farm business should give a young person a chance to take over, grow, and make a good living from it.

“A good retirement scheme would help older farmers retire with dignity and give young farmers a chance to enter the sector.

“Past retirement schemes had strict rules, which should be avoided in new plans. On family farms, older family members often want to stay involved, and this should be allowed. Flexibility is important,” he said.

Cllr. Reddington added that supporting farmers with new ideas and policies would be crucial.

“Proper schemes can help stop the decline in the number of farmers and ensure farming remains sustainable, especially for younger entrants.

“If a farm retirement scheme isn’t designed carefully, it could cause big problems and upset farmers in the West,” said Cllr. Reddington.

Galway IFA Chairman, Stephen Canavan, told the Farming Tribune, said that any move to penalise pensioners in their farm support payments would be vehemently opposed by the IFA.

“While we have told by our MEPs that the initial outline from the Commission is just a starting document, there are real concerns over proposed reductions in the CAP budget.

“There’s a big emphasis on defence spending across the European Union but it has to be an absolute essential that our own food production and food security stays at the top of the priority list,” said Stephen Canavan.

He said that there should be scope within the CAP budget to incentivise young farmers as part of a regeneration programme, possibly involving partnerships, while any retirement scheme proposed would have to be comprehensive and fully funded,and not be bogged down in rules and regulations.

IFA President, Francie Gorman, described as unacceptable a proposal from the EU Commission ‘to take payments away’ from farmers who are in receipt of a pension.

“These proposals will have to be approved by the Member States and the EU Parliament so there is a long journey ahead and we will expect a real fight from our Government and MEPs,” he said.

Pictured: Stephen Canavan: IFA will vehemently oppose any move against OAPs.