IFA welcomes financial support scheme for growers

IFA president Joe Healy has welcomed a financial support scheme for farmers who lost crops in the 2016 harvest.

However, he said: “We would be concerned that the scheme is too narrow and restrictive. The budget allocated may not be sufficient to cover the full extent of the losses incurred by farmers.”

IFA grain chairman Liam Dunne said: “Given the financial pressure farmers have been under for almost a year as a result of lost crops, it is crucial that payments are made to farmers as soon as possible. It must be user friendly and ensure that sufficient aid gets to those who deserve it.”

Growers spokesman Jim O’Regan said about half of the 300 farmers worst hit are in Co Cork, where more than 50 had to resow crops after salt burn damage, and some suffered total losses of up to €60,000. He said growers would be “insulted”, if the early reports of support ceilings of 25 hectares and €5,000 per farmer, and crop losses above 30%, were accurate. He said tillage farmers generally did not qualify for the €150m Agriculture Cashflow Support.