Cork farmers to receive largest portion of the €551m issued for BISS and CRISS

Cork farmers will receive a total of over €64m to be issued this week for BISS and CRISS support payments to qualifying farmers. 

10,997 Cork farmers qualified for BISS and CRISS payments.

Cork farmers received just over €64m from the €551m which will be issued by the department in support payments.

A total of 10,977 Cork farmers qualified to receive the 2026 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) payments.

The next largest number of farmers set to receive payments are in counties Galway and Mayo, with 10,633 and 10,097 farmers, respectively. Galway farmers are set to receive €43.8m and Mayo farmers will receive a total of €40.3m.

Co Dublin is set to receive the smallest amount in support payments, with €3.36m being issued to the 471 qualifying farmers. A national total of 110,089 farmers have qualified and are set to receive BISS and CRISS payments.

Speaking on the issuing of payments, which were originally thought to be delayed by nine days due to strike action, minister for agriculture, Martin Heydon, said: “I am happy to confirm that advance payments under the BISS and CRISS, worth over €551 million to 110,089 farmers, will begin.

"These payments are vital to farm families throughout the country and also benefit the wider rural economy. 

"Combined with the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC) payments that were issued in September and ECO payments that were issued last week, it means that in excess of €937 million of area-based payments have been paid from my department in the past month.” 

Continuing, the minister said: “I appreciate that the delay of six days has been a concern, but we are now in a position to move ahead with payments to over 110,089 farmers. Today [October 22], 94% of cleared cases have been paid, which is in line with our commitment under the Farmers Charter to pay 90% of eligible applications.” 

Payments under the 2026 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC) and ECO scheme are also continuing as more cases are cleared for payment.

The minister has said that farmers should expect to see their payments from the department in their accounts over the coming days and that any outstanding cases waiting for approval of payment will be processed “as a matter of urgency.” 

Concluding, minister Heydon said: “I would urge any farmers with outstanding requests for documentation from my Department to respond quickly.” 

Farmers wishing to contact the department regarding their BISS or ANC payments can ring the Direct Payments Helpdesk at 057 8674422. Farmers can also submit any queries they may have online via the My Agfood portal.