As revealed by the Irish Farmers Journal last week, the Department of Agriculture has slightly increased the total area eligible for the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme.
Around 700 townlands will be taken out of the scheme, affecting around 760 farmers, Department officials said, with over half of those farmers losing less than €1,000 per year.
Meanwhile, 2,200 other townlands are being added to the scheme.
The Department unveiled maps of eligible areas this Wednesday under new criteria set by the EU.
Farmers whose land is excluded from the new maps will receive 80% of their current ANC payment in 2019 and 20% in 2020. They will have an opportunity to appeal the removal of their land from eligible areas.
Consultations between the Department and farming organisations will now take place to discuss the distribution of payments across different categories of natural handicap and allocate the additional €23m committed to the ANC scheme under Budget 2019.
"The aim of this process is to ensure that a new scheme is in place and clearly communicated to farmers in advance of the opening of the application process in 2019,” said Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, acknowledging the "protracted and complex process" in reviewing this "important" scheme.
Reaction
IFA president Joe Healy welcomed the inclusion of areas that were "unfairly excluded in the past" and said the appeals system will will have to give every opportunity for farmers in excluded areas to make a case based on natural handicaps, primarily high rainfall.
The IFA will defend the continuation of existing classifications to allocate funds between four categories of natural handicap, with the highest payments going to the most marginal land, especially hill farms.
“IFA will be seeking a further increase in the ANC allocation to bring it to €300m per annum,” up from €250m in 2019, said IFA rural development chair Joe Brady.
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More ANC land in new maps
‘Adversely affected areas need further ANC support’ – INHFA
Budget 2019: €40/cow suckler scheme and €23m ANC boost
As revealed by the Irish Farmers Journal last week, the Department of Agriculture has slightly increased the total area eligible for the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme.
Around 700 townlands will be taken out of the scheme, affecting around 760 farmers, Department officials said, with over half of those farmers losing less than €1,000 per year.
Meanwhile, 2,200 other townlands are being added to the scheme.
The Department unveiled maps of eligible areas this Wednesday under new criteria set by the EU.
Farmers whose land is excluded from the new maps will receive 80% of their current ANC payment in 2019 and 20% in 2020. They will have an opportunity to appeal the removal of their land from eligible areas.
Consultations between the Department and farming organisations will now take place to discuss the distribution of payments across different categories of natural handicap and allocate the additional €23m committed to the ANC scheme under Budget 2019.
"The aim of this process is to ensure that a new scheme is in place and clearly communicated to farmers in advance of the opening of the application process in 2019,” said Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, acknowledging the "protracted and complex process" in reviewing this "important" scheme.
Reaction
IFA president Joe Healy welcomed the inclusion of areas that were "unfairly excluded in the past" and said the appeals system will will have to give every opportunity for farmers in excluded areas to make a case based on natural handicaps, primarily high rainfall.
The IFA will defend the continuation of existing classifications to allocate funds between four categories of natural handicap, with the highest payments going to the most marginal land, especially hill farms.
“IFA will be seeking a further increase in the ANC allocation to bring it to €300m per annum,” up from €250m in 2019, said IFA rural development chair Joe Brady.
Read more
More ANC land in new maps
‘Adversely affected areas need further ANC support’ – INHFA
Budget 2019: €40/cow suckler scheme and €23m ANC boost
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