John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I propose to share time with Deputy Michael Kitt.

Over the past 24 hours, since the announcement of the package, the Wexford farmers have been on the telephones outlining their opposition to the document before us. They believe it will knock the heart out of productive farming and create uncertainty in farmers over the next two years. This is at a time when farming is getting up off its knees after a number of difficult years and making a valuable contribution to the economy.

The wheels of Europe move slowly and I ask the Minister to explain why it will take until 2014 to finalise the proposals. Productive farmers want to produce and develop and they see great opportunities in the Food Harvest 2020 document that the Minister has embraced. They see it as a way forward for farming. The document before us will hinder productive farming in this country and this is a major concern to farmers.

The creation of a new flat rate payment system is one of the major concerns. This is one of the first major changes since the MacSharry reforms of 1992. The year 2014 will be used as a reference year and the impact of this is still not clear. The Minister must have further dialogue and negotiation over the coming months. The fact that 800,000 ha of land, 20% of the total, is rented directly will have an impact on over 40,000 farmers and this leaves Ireland particularly vulnerable. Their interests must be protected in redefining the reference year through future negotiations.

What will happen to farmers who are not active this year but become active by 2014? All sides of the House referred to young farmers and, given the employment levels across the country and the lack of employment opportunities, it is important to encourage as many farmers as possible to go back to farming and see opportunities there. Perhaps the Minister can explain what happens if a person goes back to active farming before 2014.

In my county and in IFA circles, the major concern is that the flat rate payment will hinder active farmers. I have always been in favour of support for small farmers but we must also have productive farmers who create products for the processors in the interests of job creation. This area is of major concern. We must have a payment scheme that benefits active farmers, thus ensuring good security and the achievement of the Food Harvest 2020 targets set for production in this country. It is important that this is one of the areas the Minister deals with.

We already know that Irish farmers are producing with a green ethos. Farmers have full environmental obligations, which some would say are overly stringent, but they are producing their product in an environmentally friendly way. Reference to approximately 30% greening is of major concern to farmers. In light of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy, which places Ireland on an environmentally sustainable agricultural path, there is no need for additional mandatory greening actions.

The Minister will have a fight on his hands and the farmers want him to take off his gloves to fight the battle. It will be a collective decision from all sides of the House to support the Minister. It is important that the role of the productive farmer is enhanced, incentivised and protected in any negotiations between now and 2013. Farmers who want to produce between now and 2013 tell me there is great uncertainty in this document. Can we allay their fears in some shape or form sooner than that so that they can continue to produce and continue to be at the heart of productive farming in this country? It is important for the Minister to take off the gloves and fight the cause on behalf of Irish farming.

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