20 I EUROPEAN SEED I EUROPEAN-SEED.COM look after their farmland and meet food-safety, environmental and animal welfare standards – failing which, their payments are reduced. THE NEXT CAP REFORM. On 1 June 2018, the European Commission presented the leg- islative proposals on the future of food and farming. One of the main changes is that the Commission proposes that funding for the CAP is moderately reduced – by around 5% – to reflect the new reality of a Union at 27. Based on nine objectives (see graph), the future CAP will continue to ensure access to high-quality food and strong sup- port for the unique European farming model with an increased focus on the environment and climate, supporting the transition towards a more sustainable agricultural sector and the develop- ment of vibrant rural areas. The future CAP plans to give priority to: •  supporting small and medium-sized family farms, as wells as encouraging young farmers to join the profession •  guaranteeing higher ambition on environmental and cli- mate action, and supporting farmers who meet greater environmental and sustainability standards •  encouraging the development of vibrant rural societies and helping farmers meet public expectations on food quality and health CAP 2020 REFORM PROPOSALS To implement the future CAP, the European Commission pro- poses measures such as: •  reducing and then capping the direct payments to farmers at €60,000 per farm (taking into account labour) •  EU countries having to ensure a higher level of payment per hectare for small and medium-sized farms •  a minimum of 2% of direct support payments allocated to each EU country will be set aside for young farmers, that can include an increased “installation allowance” of up to €100,000 •  EU countries having to ensure that only genuine farmers receive support •  new obligations for farmers: preserving carbon-rich soils through protection of wetlands or peatlands; an obliga- tory nutrient management tool to improve water quality, reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide levels; crop rotation instead of crop diversification •  eco-schemes set up by EU countries to support and/or incentivise farmers to observe agricultural practices ben- eficial for the climate and the environment, beyond their mandatory requirements •  encouraging new generations of farmers to join the pro- fession, such as the mentoring of young farmers by more experienced ones, improving knowledge transfer from one generation to the next or developing succession plans •  encouraging EU countries to do more at national level, for example through more flexible rules on taxation and inheritance, to improve access to land for young farmers •  tougher requirements for farmers to meet expectations on food and health, such as linking financial support more closely to compliance with rules on reducing pesticide use, encouraging a reduction in the use of antibiotics, etc. KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION Greater use of knowledge and innovation is also high in the European Commission’s plans, expecting a dedicated budget of €10 billion from the EU’s research programme “Horizon 2020”, for research and innovation in food, agriculture, rural devel- opment and the bio-economy. The agricultural European inno- vation partnership (EIP-AGRI) will continue to pool funding sources from Horizon Europe and rural development to foster competitive and sustainable farming and forestry. Source: “The common agricultural policy (CAP) and agriculture in Europe – Frequently asked questions” - http://europa.eu/rapid/ press-release_MEMO-13-631_en.htm - Accessed 13 June 2018 Source: Future of the common agricultural policy: https://ec.europa. eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-pol- icy/future-cap_en#proposal Accessed 19 June 2018