Calls for scheme to open urgently to ensure full payment for farmers
The dairy farmer group leader has met with senior Department of Agriculture officials to underline the urgent need to submit amended farm scheme plans to the European Commission. He said farmers need a speedy rollout of GLAS, On-farm Capital Investment Grants, and the Knowledge Transfer Scheme.
“At this stage, we’re extremely concerned that farmers will not receive a full payment for 2015 with only a partial payment being made and we’re calling on [Agriculture Minister Simon] Coveney to ensure that a full year’s payment is made,” Mr Comer said.
“With regard to GLAS, it is crucial this scheme is opened in the autumn of this year to ensure a full year’s payment is available for all applicants in 2015.”
The ICMSA suggested the department use a standard costing system as opposed to a receipt-based scheme with regards to GLAS.
“It is also essential that the scheme includes measures that are practical for more intensive farms as many of the current proposed measures will not suit these farms and will effectively exclude them from the scheme,” Mr Comer said.
“In the context of quota abolition, the on-farm investment schemes and the ongoing development of farms become hugely important and it is inevitable that there will be greater demand in the early years of this scheme. ICMSA believes that the funding of this scheme should be frontloaded to 2015 and 2016.”
The ICMSA said elements of parlour upgrades such as underpasses, feeding systems, silage bases, and cluster removers should all be eligible for supports.
In relation to the Knowledge Transfer Scheme, the group welcomed the decision not to discriminate against dairy farmers who do not wish — or who are not in a position — to expand with the abolition of the milk quota regime next year.
“In the initial proposal, these farmers were in Priority 2 and this has now been changed which is welcome,” Mr Comer said. “We’re concerned that the Knowledge Transfer Scheme could become almost a ‘paperwork scheme’ and in this regard, ICMSA again called on the department to minimise the paperwork and concentrate on the practical measures that can be taken to improve farm profitability — which should be the key objective of this programme.”
Meanwhile, ICSA Munster vice-president John Halley called for a ringfencing of TAMS funding under the new Rural Development Programme for suckler and sheep farmers.
“With all of the expansion plans in dairying there is a real concern that dairy equipment will use up all of the €395m allocated to the proposed TAMS measure.
ICSA also wants a special extra payment for suckler and sheep farmers under the GLAS scheme. This would be an additional payment of up to €1,600 for farmers who implement recommendations to reduce their carbon footprint.
