Comments on: Implications of reforming the basis for SPS payments http://capreform.eu/implications-of-reforming-the-basis-for-sps-payments/ Europe's common agricultural policy is broken - let's fix it! Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:51:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Jack Thurston http://capreform.eu/implications-of-reforming-the-basis-for-sps-payments/comment-page-1/#comment-32451 Jack Thurston Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:52:58 +0000 http://capreform.eu/?p=530#comment-32451 I pointed out the political challenges associated with a flat rate payment and deveveloped some ideas about the way forward a few weeks ago: http://capreform.eu/moving-towards-a-flat-rate-farm-payment/ If the payment is to evolve into a 'payment for land stewarship' as Allan Buckwell argues it should, then the payment size per hectare ought to be related to the value of each hectare in 'environmental services provided'. This could be a headache to work out hectare-by-hectare though I suppose one could do it regionally, rather like the current definition of High Nature Value farming. A singe per-hectare payment rate would probably be easier for the public to understand than a historic system with its basis years of 2000-2002. And that is what I think motivates those in the Commission calling for it. They fear that the current system is politically unsustainable. I pointed out the political challenges associated with a flat rate payment and deveveloped some ideas about the way forward a few weeks ago:

http://capreform.eu/moving-towards-a-flat-rate-farm-payment/

If the payment is to evolve into a ‘payment for land stewarship’ as Allan Buckwell argues it should, then the payment size per hectare ought to be related to the value of each hectare in ‘environmental services provided’. This could be a headache to work out hectare-by-hectare though I suppose one could do it regionally, rather like the current definition of High Nature Value farming.

A singe per-hectare payment rate would probably be easier for the public to understand than a historic system with its basis years of 2000-2002. And that is what I think motivates those in the Commission calling for it. They fear that the current system is politically unsustainable.

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