Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers who farm deer and those who breed horses will be considered as acting farmers in the proposals for the reformed single farm payment scheme currently being considered. [41723/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The definition of an active farmer is still the subject of substantial discussion in the CAP reform negotiations and there is no clear outcome as yet. Under the CAP reform proposals, the EU Commission has proposed to exclude from receipt of Single Farm Payment those whose annual direct payments are less than 5% of the total receipts they obtain from all non-agricultural activities or, if their agricultural areas are mainly areas naturally kept in a state suitable for grazing or cultivation, they do not carry out a minimum level of activity to be established by each Member State. The exclusion is not proposed to apply to farmers who received less than €5,000 in direct payments in the previous year.

There is substantial opposition from Member States to the Commission proposals particularly the intention to take account of receipts from non-agricultural activity. Many Member States have put forward alternative proposals to create a negative list comprising, for example, golf courses and airports, that would be excluded from payment. Other Member States have argued for a definition of active farmers that focuses on farming activity as measured through stocking density, crop production, etc. At this point it is too early to speculate on the final solution that may emerge.