Farmers unhappy with measures

FARMERS have taken a hard hit in the budget, their leaders claimed last night as they studied the various measures.

Irish Farmers Association (IFA) president Pádraig Walshe said the decisions come on top of the cuts already imposed in last October’s budget.

He said increasing the income levy on gross incomes coupled with the cuts in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS 4), forestry and the fallen animal scheme will severely hit farm incomes.