Huge support for campaign urging flexibility on ANC rules
IFA rural development chairman, Joe Brady, has urged the department to make a case for areas to qualify under the new criteria by also classifying them based on agricultural output, stocking rate, permanent grassland, and farming systems, as well as areas with other specific constraints which can be up to 10% of the area of Ireland.
At a meeting with the Department of Agriculture in Portlaoise, Mr Brady said it is important that all facts are taken into account prior submitting ANC maps to the EU Commission.
“There are sufficient flexibilities in place at EU level in the designation of ANCs to protect areas that are already classified in the upcoming review,” Mr Brady said.
“It is important to make a case based on local conditions to ensure areas retain their status and continue to qualify for payments.”
The Department of Agriculture told the IFA that all the biophysical criteria will be used, the main one being soil moisture. Other important criteria will be slopes, areas subject to flooding using OPW flood maps, areas subject to coastal erosion, soil depth and designated SAC and SPA areas.
IFA urged the Department to seek flexibility around the rigid 60% DED rule where if the natural handicap is less than this figure, then the whole DED does not lose out. IFA hosted an ANC meeting in Seven Oaks Hotel, Carlow, on Friday. Almost 11,000 farmers in south Leinster qualify for ANC payments.
IFA national hill committee chairman, Pat Dunne, has urged that the payment rates reflect the natural handicap to ensure that the highest mainland payment will be on hills. The offshore island payment of €250/ha is the highest payment.
Pat Dunne said front-loading of payments of the first 20ha is necessary with an overall maximum of €6,000 being the target for hill farmers. The Department of Agriculture indicated to IFA that maps will be produced in mid-year.
After that, a submission will be made to the EU which will also include the new payment rates and terms and conditions for implementation for 2018. IFA has sought a Budget of €250m for the new scheme.
IFA is to hold further ANC meetings in Tralee, Co Kerry, on Monday next, March 13, in Bantry, Cork on the following Monday, March 20.
Meanwhile, ICSA president, Patrick Kent, has urged Agriculture Minister, Micahael Creed, to ensure that no money is lost to Ireland in any ANC review.
He said cuts to the payments have impacted the most vulnerable in the farming community in the most marginal lands and that a process of reversing these cuts needs to be implemented.
“ANC payments were once an important payment for farmers in the most marginal land,” said Mr Kent. “For too long now this has not been the case and needs to be addressed urgently.”
