€40,000 raised for legal case against Department

The group alleges 33,000 farmers were unfairly penalised when farm land which was actively farmed and properly maintained for generations was deemed ineligible and not fit for farming in 2013.

It says this left many small and marginal farmers struggling to survive, having lost vital Single Farm Payment income, and having to pay back retrospective penalties on “over-claimed” land for the previous five years.