The confession was made during open debate when he was speaking at the NFU agm, outlining the single farm payment scheme, which is envisaged as part of the new formula being used to absorb a larger community.

He reassured delegates that the effects of the reforms would rebalance the financial budget by shifting support from product to producer. This, he claimed, will result in more competitiveness and higher farm incomes.

Fischler stressed that it would not mean that farmers would be paid for doing nothing. They will be obliged to keep land in good shape and meet a number of cross compliance requirements.

'Independent studies show that direct payments to farmers without a link to production will lead to less intensive and more quality oriented methods,' he said.

The devil as far as horticulture is concerned, is still to some extent in the detail. Michael Holmes, chairman of the NFU horticulture division, fears that farmers who would be able to switch crops away from cereals, for instance, into vegetables would be given an unfair financial advantage over existing horticultural producers.

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