Some 3,149 Donegal farmers could be forced out to retire under EU CAP proposals

The European Commission’s proposed reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy, forcing farmers to retire at the age of 66 have been described as “deeply concerning.” 

Based on CSO  data, it is estimated that 3,149 farmers in County Donegal alone may be forced out of farming.

“This represents one of the most direct and damaging policy threats to active older farmers in Co Donegal that I have ever seen,” Mullooly stated in Brussels. “These are individuals who have dedicated their lives to agriculture, contributed substantially to rural communities and the national economy, and who wish to remain active in farming beyond the retirement age. Forcing them off the land without offering viable alternatives is not just unjust—it is a betrayal of decades of service.”

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Mullooly MEP is calling for the introduction of a well-funded, respectful Retirement Scheme for Farmers. He points to the successful Early Farm Retirement Scheme, which operated from 1994 to 1998 and saw over 8,000 farmers participate. The scheme provided an annual payment of €15,000 for ten years to farmers who voluntarily stepped back and transferred their farms to the next generation.

“This is not a radical proposal. It’s a practical and proven policy that worked before—and can work again,” Mullooly said. “We must reintroduce such incentives to support voluntary, dignified retirement, rather than forcing farmers out of the sector as if they were surplus to requirements.”

He stressed that farming must be treated as a business, not simply a vocation: “If we want to retain skilled farmers and attract a new generation into the sector, we must ensure that it offers a viable livelihood comparable to other professions.”

Mullooly concluded with a clear call to action: the next CAP must include meaningful provisions for older farmers to retire with dignity—and for younger farmers to enter the sector with confidence.