The IFA has said the progress made this year by the Department of Agriculture on farmer payments has helped address the cashflow issues on many farms. IFA deputy president Richard Kennedy said the Department’s progress on payments to farmers in 2016 is ahead of the payment rates last year, with €764m in Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) funds already received by 116,000 farmers, while 84,200 farmers have received €82m in Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) payments.

Kennedy added that the prompt delivery of farmer payments has helped ease the severe income crisis and cashflow challenges on many farms. However, Kennedy noted that this level of progress must continue when the final 30% of the BPS payout is due on 1 December. The top-up payment for young farmers is also due to about 8,000 farmers on 1 December.

GLAS III

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On Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said applications for the third tranche of the Green, Low-carbon, Agri-environmental Scheme (GLAS) will open this week for a six-week period. The aim is to reach 50,000 participants in total in the scheme.

Creed said the Department’s top priority was to attract farmers with Tier 1 environmental assets, such as endangered birds, natura habitat, commonage land and high-status watercourses to the scheme.

“Farmers are urged to present the highest standard environmental plans under GLAS III and to adopt actions that would promote them from Tier 3 to a higher tier, to increase their chance of selection into the scheme. Over 80% of applicants in the second tranche of GLAS opted to do so and were approved,” the minister said.