Macra calls for the protection of the family farm model and generational renewal in nitrate derogation renegotiations.

There is a potential avalanche of developments on the horizon for derogation farmers following the events of the last week, particularly the layering of the Habitats Directive on top of the Nitrates and Water Framework Directives as part of the process of securing Ireland's next nitrates derogation.  Macra President Josephine O'Neill states, "This comes at a time when the family farm model is already under pressure from layers of compliance and the additionality of measures to be implemented at the family farm level, notwithstanding any additional future burdens." 
The EU Commission is championing simplification, freedom to farm and protecting diversity of farm models across Europe while at the same time throwing down the gauntlet to both the Departments of Agriculture and Housing to layer more complexity for farms, greater compliance and additionality that could potentially drive farm families out of business and further impact generational renewal.  We face a crisis in generational renewal, and now the government wants to create more uncertainty at such a critical point!  This process will impact the viability of some of our family farms, stripping away the opportunity for succession within these family businesses and reducing their ability to provide a livelihood for the next generation. Farmers, especially young farmers, have upskilled and embraced many new practices to help improve water quality, which is now trending favorably in the right direction.  This new proposed development of layering more directives on our family farms' ability to secure derogation could be the straw that breaks the intergenerational family farm model for many small to medium-sized farms relying on derogation.  “If these new regulations come into effect, there will be nothing left for farmers to pass on to the next generation, as this will have a direct impact on the family farm model,” continued O'Neill
To end up with a scenario where nitrates derogation will be reliant on appropriate assessment of the closest water catchment to a farm would provide little to no security for individual farmers, especially young farmers.  This is inherently unfair as we could end up with individual farmers being impacted by forces outside of farming that impact water quality, factors that these farmers have no control over.   
We are in a situation where we must proceed with caution. This is a critical time for defending the sustainability of our family farm model, securing generational renewal on these farms, protecting our environment for future generations and demonstrating our progress on the environment and our unique circumstances and grass-based system to the EU Commission.