Call to deal with ‘forgotten’ farmers

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association has urged Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to deal with the country’s “forgotten farmers.”

Patrick Kent, president, acknowledged the progress made in the case of the ‘old’ young farmers, but he said there is still a cohort who began farming activity too late to benefit from the 2000-2002 reference period.

These people are now considered to be farming too long to get a fair opportunity under the new Basic Payment Scheme. He said the farmers in this category must be brought up to the national average payment per hectare which, with the greening top-up, is about €250/ha — a very modest demand for hard-working young farmers.