FARMERS across the country have embarked on a campaign of challenge to government politicians to ensure that concerns about the proposed Agri Environmental Option Scheme (AEOS) are addressed.

PAYMENTS under REPS 4 have commenced, Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith has announced, with over €33 million being issued to farmers in the last week.

THE Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has been urged to start inspections under the Fodder Aid Scheme immediately.

THE agri-food sector must plug in to the wider cost-cutting issues that will be central components of policy both in Ireland and the European Union.

THE Irish Farmers Association (IFA) yesterday called on Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith to provide details of the new agri-environment scheme which he plans to introduce in 2010.

A NATIONAL strategy needs to be put in place for the Irish agri-food industry before it goes the way of the coal miners in Britain, the Agricultural Science Association annual conference was told in Dublin.

THE second instalment of REPS 4 payments for 2008, amounting to some €12 million, will be paid in the coming week to over 11,000 farmers, Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith announced yesterday.

SOME of the wettest spring weather on record is adding to the woes of farmers already under pressure with cash flow problems.

THE issue of farmers who had installation aid applications in the pipeline, but not completed prior to the suspension of the scheme on October 15 will now be addressed.

FARM leaders have criticised European Commission changes to the payment system for the new Rural Environment Protection Scheme — REPS 4.