Payments of €138m under the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environmental Scheme (GLAS) will hit almost 40,000 farmers’ bank accounts this week.

These represent an advance of 85% of an applicant’s annual payment and are taking place two weeks earlier compared with 2019.

In announcing the payments, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said: “I have previously outlined that a key priority for my Department is the efficient issuing of scheme payments to farmers.

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Compared to this time last year, we are paying €4m more to 3% more scheme participants

"I am very pleased that these payments are commencing two weeks ahead of our stated target of mid-November and are issuing to a higher number of participants than last year."

“Overall, compared to this time last year, we are paying €4m more to 3% more scheme participants, which is a fantastic outcome in light of COVID-19 restrictions.”

Awaiting payments

The latest Department of Agriculture farmers’ schemes and payments update for the week ending 30 October shows 47,852 or 98.9% of all GLAS applicants receiving payment in 2019. This leaves in the region of 8,000 farmers awaiting their advance payment.

The Department is keen to work through any outstanding issues. It says that in order to facilitate farmers wishing to make contact regarding their payment, extended opening hours will be in place for the help desk over the next two weeks.

A GLAS helpline will be available for normal working hours from Monday to Friday and will also be in operation on the mornings of Saturday 7 November and Saturday 14 November until 1.30pm.

I am very pleased that these payments are commencing two weeks ahead of our stated target of mid-November

The GLAS help desk can be contacted at 076-106 4451, while the Department is also encouraging farmers to submit any queries they may have to GLAS@agriculture.gov.ie.

It urges any GLAS participants with outstanding documentation, including low emission slurry spreading (LESS), rare breed forms or those who have been contacted by the Department with queries in relation to their GLAS participation or BPS application, to respond as soon as possible in order to facilitate the early issue of payments.

As has been the case for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC), regular pay runs will occur over the coming weeks to issue money owed as GLAS cases are cleared for payment.

Scheme extension

Minister McConalogue also touched on the GLAS extension in his announcement: “The good news for these GLAS participants is that they now have the certainty of participating in the scheme for next year if they wish, thanks to us securing the funding allocation in the budget.

"I am pleased that we have achieved this and avoided the issues of the past, where scheme participants did not have this certainty when transitioning from one Rural Development Programme (RDP) to another.”

The good news for these GLAS participants is that they now have the certainty of participating in the scheme for next year if they wish

There are no further details available yet on what will be required by those looking to participate in 2021, but it is likely it will take the form of an opt-in declaration and continuation of existing measures or, in certain cases, an acceptance to take on specific one-year measures.

BPS and ANC payments

BPS payments for the week ending 30 October stand at €791.33m paid to 119,273 applicants. This is an increase of €4.67m paid to 498 extra participants on the previous week’s figures.

The increase in payments under the 2020 ANC is largely down to applications being cleared as stocking rate requirements are satisfied.

Payments now stand at €195.55m to 90,697 participants, with an additional €0.91m paid to 443 more farmers.