The commencement of €160m in payments this week under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) has kick-started scheme payments.

The payments were made to 75,000 farmers and payments will continue as cases are cleared for payment.

Why some farmers have not received payments

The Department of Agriculture explains that a high percentage of cases not receiving payment this week is due to farmers, as yet, failing to satisfy the annual average stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare for the calendar year and a minimum stocking rate of at least 0.15LU per forage hectare over a seven-month consecutive period.

Submitting outstanding stocking evidence

The Department is asking farmers to submit any outstanding stocking evidence in support of their application to the Department’s Portlaoise office as soon as possible to facilitate the early release of payments.

The payment sum is €20m higher than that paid to 65,000 farmers in 2016.

Minister Creed

Speaking at the launch, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed said: “These figures underscore my determination to maximise payments to farmers in the most timely manner possible.

“In addition, the increased uptake in online applications under the 2017 ANC and BPS schemes continues to bring benefits for farmers and my Department in terms of more efficient processing of applications. This trend will continue as we move towards 100% online applications from 2018.”

Payments calendar

The following is a guideline of payments under various schemes for the remainder of the year.

Basic Payment Scheme:The Department advises that advance payments will commence to cleared cases from mid-October. Balancing payments will commence issuing on cleared cases from early December. It is expected that Commissioner Phil Hogan will this week announce an increase in the advance payment rate from 50% to 70%.

GLAS:The Department anticipates that advance payments will commence issuing to cleared cases in November.

Sheep Welfare Scheme: The Department says payments will commence in late autumn.

Tillage crisis fund: The Department explains that “applications received are currently being examined for completeness and compliance with eligibility requirements, etc. Following this process, the applications will be subject to the standard administrative and on-the-ground verification procedures. Following this, cleared files will be processed for payment.”

Flooding crisis fund for Inishowen: “The closing date for this scheme is 29 Sept. Following standard verification checks on applications received, payments will issue,” explains the Department.

TAMS payment dates: “TAMS payments issue on an ongoing basis as payment claims are submitted for completed approved works.”

Beef Data and Genomics Programme: “Payments under BDGP I and II will commence in December.”

Knowledge Transfer: Payments are expected to start issuing at the end of October/start of November.

Organics scheme: Payments under the scheme are due to commence in October/November.

2017 National Reserve: Payments will commence to eligible entrants in early December.

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