The Department of Agriculture is considering phasing out the leasing of entitlements by introducing a ‘use them or lose’ them system.
The plan would end the practice of ‘armchair’ farming and put entitlements in the hands of active and younger farmers.
Leasing entitlements have increased from 2,870 in 2015 to 14,348 last year.
Once the current CAP programme ends next year only genuine farmers would benefit from CAP payments.
The value of leased entitlements would decrease incrementally over a lifetime of the CAP.
Proposals being discussed by Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue would also encourage the sale of entitlements to full-time, active farmers or support the owners of the entitlements to farm in their own right.
However, it is estimated that almost €40m in rental income would be lost by farmers who lease out their entitlements under the new plan.
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