Very easy to lose the payments which keep many in farming

IN 2010, direct payments contributed 31% of the value of Irish farm output.

They average about €17,000 per farm, and keep our cattle and sheep farms in business — because on average, their sales are insufficient to cover production costs.

However, the payments have brought frustration for some farmers unable to cope with the task of making applications, and with hundreds of “good farming” rules demanded of recipients of EU aid. Getting their applications in by last Monday's deadline was an onerous task for them. But they are not home and dry yet. Mistakes, or inspections, could still result in partial or complete loss of the cheque in the post which keeps so many farmers going.