Farmers in line €1bn payment

A €1 BILLION boost is on the way for the country’s farmers, Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith announced at the National Ploughing Championships in Cuffesgrange, Co Kilkenny.

He confirmed that agreement was reached with the European Commission in Brussels earlier in the day for an advance €750 million payment to be made under the 2008 single payment scheme.

Mr Smith also announced that disadvantaged areas payments, totalling €250m, to 100,000 farmers around the country started yesterday.

He said he expected the majority of eligible farmers would be paid within a matter of days.

However, Mr Smith again reiterated that the December 31 deadline for the completion of works under the Farm Waste Management Scheme remains, as it is a condition of European Union state aid approval.

“Given the concerns expressed by farmers and farm bodies about the impending deadline, I have raised the issue with the EU Commission.

“It has been consistent in its response and only last month reaffirmed that the December 31 deadline must be adhered to,” he said.

The minister said the payments he had announced represent a very significant injection in the rural economy.

Mr Smith said he was very pleased at the positive response of Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel to his request that the advance on the single payment be made and with the level of support shown at yesterday’s meeting.

Mr Smith said he had discussed the matter with Ms Fischer Boel at a Council of Ministers earlier in the week.

“The decision allows us to go ahead with an advance payment at a rate of 50% from October 16, to those applicants whose applications have been fully cleared, with the balancing payments being made from December 1,” said Mr Smith.

The minister said the two payments he had announced would provide a very welcome boost for Irish farm families, particularly at this time of the year.

Mr Smith also pointed out that the disadvantaged areas payments will be the last of the “cheques in the post” before the system switches to electronic transfer.

Meanwhile, 40% of farmers in western counties who were surveyed at livestock marts countrywide in recent weeks, did not believe that they or a family member would still be engaged in farming in 10 years time.