Farmers demand politicians ensure that AEOS concerns are addressed

FARMERS across the country have embarked on a campaign of challenge to government politicians to ensure that concerns about the proposed Agri Environmental Option Scheme (AEOS) are addressed.

The farmers are demanding the politicians deliver a meaningful replacement for 10,000 farmers who are finishing their Rural Environmental Scheme (REPS) contract this year. They told government politicians at the first of a series of meetings in Westport and Donegal last night to stand up for rural Ireland.

Irish Farmers Association president John Bryan said the AEOS is unworkable as it now stands and it will not deliver the €50 million promised by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan in the last budget. He said Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith and rural politicians must now stand up and be counted by addressing the serious shortcomings identified in the proposed scheme.

“Thousands of farm families across rural Ireland will hold their Government politicians and rural TDs responsible if the new scheme is not practical and if they are not in a position to secure payments averaging €5,000,” he said.

Mr Bryan will be attending another meeting in Killarney tonight and the association will also hold an intensive lobbying session of all Government and rural politicians in Dublin tomorrow as part of its continued effort to secure a practical scheme to replace REPS.

IFA Rural Development Committee chairman Tom Turley said a number of practical changes must be made to the proposed scheme so that it can become workable and meaningful for the majority of farmers.

He said the IFA submitted reasonable and practical solutions to the Department and it is up to the minister and rural politicians to ensure that farmer concerns are addressed.

“IFA is demanding that the scheme include a whole-farm payment to recognise the input of the farmer into the agri-environment measure, as well as more flexibility under the various options.

“This can be done through changes to the specification, which are too rigid and make the scheme unattractive to farmers,” he said.

Calling on Mr Smith to introduce a meaningful scheme, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association deputy president John Comer said the department proposals will be impractical for most farmers.