Farmers are due to receive the advance portion of their direct payment under the Basic Payment Scheme on Friday 16 October.

In the single biggest payment run every year, farmers will receive 70% of their total direct payment. It is anticipated that the remaining 30% will be paid out from Tuesday 1 December.

It will be the second major payment issued in 2020, with €191m paid out to 88,656 ANC farmers

Approximately 123,000 farmers receive a direct payment annually. Combined they are worth in the region of €1.2bn and represent the lion’s share of farm supports. It will be the second major payment issued in 2020, with €191m paid out to 88,656 ANC farmers.

Most Department inspections under various other schemes such as the Young Farmers Scheme have started in earnest this week. Satellite inspections for land-eligibility schemes are already well under way, with over half completed to date.