Teagasc has backed down on its threat to withhold farmers’ Knowledge Transfer (KT) applications in a row over fees.

As first revealed in the Irish Farmers Journal in April, Teagasc issued membership bills of €145 to Teagasc KT group farmers who were not previously its clients, and this week warned that their KT applications will not be processed until the bills are paid.

However, in crisis talks with the IFA on Wednesday, Teagasc said it would not withhold any farmers’ applications and all material would be submitted to the Department of Agriculture.

The dispute over its controversial €145 membership fee, looks set to continue, as the IFA is to raise the issue with the Teagasc board.

Farmers claim they did not know when joining Teagasc KT groups that they would be liable for membership charges and some are refusing to pay.

Teagasc has insisted that it clearly stated, from the outset, that it would only facilitate discussion groups for Teagasc clients who had a contract with the organisation.

A spokesman for Teagasc told the Irish Farmers Journal that the fee was raised verbally by Teagasc advisers, managers and administration staff, while farmers were told about the terms and conditions before physically signing up.

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Despite this, many farmers maintain they were totally unaware of the charge until the bills issued.

The Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) president Colm O’Donnell called for Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to intervene in the debacle, saying the membership fees were never outlined to farmers.

He called for Teagasc to waive the fees and reimburse farmers who have already paid.

The IFA’s rural development chair Joe Brady said Teagasc charging non-clients a fee is in conflict with the €500 payment per KT client it already gets.

Teagasc figures show that 400 new farmers joined the organisation and took part in its KT groups, with 80 of those farmers currently owing full or partial fees.

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