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Disadvantaged area payments to farmers look safe for now.
There had been fears that the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) monies would be cut at the end of the year. However, intervention by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed could see the review postponed by up to two years.
Some 75% of the land in Ireland is designated as having a natural constraint and 95,000 farmers avail of payments from the scheme. The average payment to farmers is €2,157.
Difficulties
At this month’s council of EU agriculture ministers, Minister Creed raised the difficulties in meeting the “obligation for the designation of ANCs against a new set of biophysical parameters”.
The minister also backed a call by the Austrian minister for agriculture Andrä Rupprechter to extend the deadline to at least 2019 in order to allow member states enough time to adapt to the revised rules.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands Minister Creed raised the matter directly with the Austrian minister prior to this month’s meeting in Luxembourg.
Minister Creed is strongly supportive of Austria’s efforts to postpone the review.
The scheme is under review as a result of a 2003 European Court of Auditors report.
From 2018, soil moisture, low temperatures and sloping of land are among a range of criteria that will determine what land is to be designated.
Maps of the country based on these new criteria are being drawn up.
In March, the Department of Agriculture indicated that the maps would be available mid-year.
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